The United Nations' World Food Program chief presented a plan on how they would spend $6.6 billion to combat world hunger as a response to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who claimed he would sell Tesla stock to fund a plan only if the WFP could describe how it would work.
David Beasley, the UN food program director and former Republican governor of South Carolina, tweeted a link on Monday to a 1,000-word "executive summary", reports CNN.
They mapped out how the UN would deploy $6.6 billion worth of meals and vouchers to feed more than 40 million across 43 countries "on the brink of famine".
In the document Beasley posted, the WFP proposes dedicating $3.5 billion to buy and deliver food directly, $2 billion "for cash and food vouchers (including transaction fees) in places where markets can function," and spending another $700 million to manage new food programs that are "adapted to the in-country" conditions and ensure "the assistance reaches the most vulnerable."
Another $400 million would be used for "operations management, administration and accountability" and supply chain coordination, reports CNN.
"The world is on fire," Beasley tweeted. "I've been warning about the perfect storm brewing due to Covid, conflict, climate shocks & now, rising supply chain costs. IT IS HERE."
"This hunger crisis is urgent, unprecedented, AND avoidable," Beasley wrote in a separate tweet, tagging Musk, who is the world's wealthiest person with a net worth of approximately $288 billion. "You asked for a clear plan & open books. Here it is! We're ready to talk with you - and anyone else - who is serious about saving lives."
As of Wednesday afternoon, Musk had not responded.
The back-and-forth between Musk and Beasley kicked off with a CNN interview last month in which Beasley asked billionaires to "step up now, on a one-time basis" to help combat world hunger, specifically citing the world's two richest men: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
Beasley said giving $6 billion, or 2% of Musk's net worth, could help solve world hunger.
Musk responded on Twitter, writing, "If WFP can describe on this Twitter thread exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it."
"But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent," Musk added.
Beasley previously replied to Musk's tweets, assuring him that systems are in place for transparency and open source accounting, the CNN report added.
Russia yesterday hit back at US threats of direct sanctions against President Vladimir Putin, saying moves against the Russian leader would be ineffective and hurt efforts to lower tensions over Ukraine.
Officials from France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine meanwhile started talks in Paris yesterday in the latest bid to ease a crisis sparked by fears that Moscow is preparing an invasion of its pro-Western neighbor.
The West has warned Russia of severe consequences if it does invade, and on Tuesday, Washington said there could be sanctions personally targeting Putin.
Reacting to the news, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Petrov dismissed the threats as worthless because senior Russian officials are barred from holding assets abroad.
But such a move, he said, would do serious damage to diplomatic efforts to ease ratcheting tensions over Ukraine.
"Politically, it's not painful, it's destructive," Petrov told reporters.
The Kremlin has previously said any US sanctions personally targeting Putin would be akin to crossing a red line, warning the move could result in a rupture of bilateral ties.
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that any Russian military attack on Ukraine could even "change the world".
Russia is expecting this week to receive written US responses to sweeping security demands Moscow made last year that seek to dramatically limit NATO reach and capabilities in Eastern Europe and the ex-USSR.
Russia FM Sergei Lvov yesterday warned in an address to lawmakers that Moscow would take "all necessary measures" if it didn't receive constructive responses and if the West continued its "aggressive policy".
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