James Morris, Executive Director of the World Food Programme

Initiative Session Date: July 14, 2004

Summary:
James Morris spoke to IGD about the work of the World Food Programme bringing food to the 840 million people in hunger throughout the world. He also talked about the importance of U.S. leadership for making humanitarian issues a priority. He said that although the U.S. support of humanitarian issues has been strong and bipartisan, more leadership is desperately needed around the humanitarian agenda. We are an incredibly generous people, argued Morris, and we have a president that cares deeply about people at risk. The issues that comprise the humanitarian agenda are of such importance they ought to be able to bring mankind back together in addressing these critical problems. Morris commended the Initiative for pulling together the business community and political leadership to generate political will and support for the role our country ought to be playing. He said the issues that comprise the humanitarian agenda are critical to world peace and security, to countering terrorism, and to ensuring economic prosperity. In closing, Morris said he came to Seattle because he feels there is enormous potential for the Initiative to change the course of history and truly impact the humanitarian agenda.

"The world today needs a movement that addresses the humanitarian agenda so that every child has a chance. If a family has food they can focus on all the other things that are important in their lives and can become self-sustained. They have hope in their family, they have opportunities in their future, and just like any of us, people behave differently when they have hope and opportunity in their lives."

     -James Morris, speaking to the Initiative for Global Development

Biography