WFP chief 'fiddling as Rome burns' by commemorating husband as agency braces for 6000 job cuts, critics say

 ROME – Staff at the World Food Programme have taken umbrage at  Executive Director Cindy McCain  for taking part in a lunchtime discussion in memory of her late husband John together with her chief of staff Megan Latcovich as agency employees prepare for a crucial and much delayed meeting this week to hear how as many as 6000 jobs will be slashed following U.S. aid cuts, WFP sources say.

 “Can you believe it?” a senior WFP executive at Rome headquarters asked the Insider, “Tomorrow there is an all-staff meeting where we hope to get detail on 6000 people being axed, and she and Megs are doing a lunchtime panel in Arizona while maintaining her late husband’s legacy (remember early days with Gaza).”

 “The United Nations, including WFP are facing the greatest existential crisis in almost 80 years and she’s fiddling as Rome burns,” the executive added, speaking on condition he not be named.

 “No wonder the Organization has been driven into the ground!” he commented.

 Ms McCain and Ms Latcovich took part in a lunchtime discussion Monday with Kelly O’Donnell, senior White House reporter for NBC News, as part of a Sedona Forum of events organized by the McCain Institute with the theme “Wielding America’s power – our economic leadership, technological innovation, military strength, and cultural diplomacy.”

 The Forum “explored how America can effectively wield its power to address global challenges, uphold democratic values, and secure its leadership in an evolving world.”

 “Heads of state, policymakers, academics and practicioners shared insights and offer bold ideas on how to harness American excceptionalism in an era of great power competition.”

  The adverse reaction to Ms McCain evidently taking valuable time off WFP’s battle for survival to attend the slick meeting of minds generating hot air in Arizona recalled the controversy that erupted when she attended a prizegiving in Canada arranged by the McCain Institute giving an award to the State of Israel as the Jewish state began its attack on Palestinians in the Gaza strip in response to the Oct. 7, 2022, terrorist attacks by Hamas that killed over 1400 Israelis.

 What critics see as her less than total dedication to steering the helm of WFP has led to her being unpopular among many WFP staff while some observers will deduce that the agency is increasingly rudderless as she marks time before being replaced by the Trump administration with its own candidate to head the agency, diplomatic sources say.

 jf