In her new role, Al-Qayssei will support WFP’s work in providing food assistance to conflict-affected families and internally displaced people. The surge in violence in Iraq has left over 3.2 million Iraqis displaced and in need of food assistance.
“We are delighted that Suhair Al-Qayssei is joining WFP in Iraq as Celebrity Partner at this critical time. She will lend her voice to speak about the plight of hundreds of thousands of people suffering from war and displacement and in dire need for food assistance to help them survive,” said Jane Pearce, WFP Representative and Country Director in Iraq.
WFP depends entirely on voluntarily contributions and relies on support from governments, companies and private individuals to provide food assistance. Al-Qayssei will advocate for the people in Iraq and the need to help WFP reach them with crucial food assistance.
“The people of Iraq are facing tremendous and horrific challenges. I look forward to working with WFP to shed light on the extremely difficult humanitarian conditions they live in and how WFP works to help them to survive and rebuild their shattered lives,” said Al-Qayssei.
Al-Qayssei, a senior news anchor with the pan-Arab Middle East Broadcasting Center Group (MBC) presenting prime-time news for MBC1, is one of the leading journalists and television personalities in the Middle East. She was also a news anchor and presenter with Al Arabiya news from 2004 to 2014 and was chosen in 2008 by Fox News as among the 10 most important personalities in Iraq.
Al-Qayssei has a record of interest and commitment to hunger issues. Last year, she travelled to Iraq and the Kurdish region to meet internally displaced people who receive WFP food assistance.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
LR/PR