UN food agency chief presses Gulf states to ‘step up’ on aid

BERLIN (AP) — The head of the United Nations’ World Food Program is renewing pressure on oil-rich Persian Gulf countries to give his agency more help to deal with mounting humanitarian crises. WFP Executive Director David Beasley’s comments on Thursday followed a meeting with the development minister of Germany. the country is the agency’s second-biggest donor. He said that countries such as U.S. and Germany are “really stepping up.” But Beasley said that some others such as the Gulf states need to join them. Beasley argued that high oil prices affect not just shipping and fuel costs. He said that they also have an influence on the costs of fertilizer and food production.