Type
Internal restructuring
Country
Italy
Region
Centro (IT); Lazio; Roma
Location of affected unit(s)
Rome
Sector
Households / Extraterritorial
99 - Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies
99.0 - Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies
99.0 - Activities of extraterritorial organisations and bodies

100 - 420 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
29 April 2025
Employment effect (start)
29 April 2025
Foreseen end date
31 December 2025

Description

The World Food Program (WFP), the UN’s largest humanitarian agency, has announced plans to cut 25–30% of its global workforce, amounting to around 6,000 jobs. It has not been announced the exact number affecting the headquarters in Rome where around 1,400 work but it is expected to reflect the cut taking place worldwide World Food Programme 2025 - WO.

The restructuring affects all levels and regions of the organisation. The programme follows drastic reductions in donor contributions, particularly from the United States, which previously funded nearly half of WFP’s operations. The Trump administration’s decision to cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and terminate funding for emergency programs in over a dozen countries triggered the downsizing. The agency has already faced challenges due to falling European donations and now anticipates receiving less than half of its needed budget for 2025. WFP stated it will prioritise resources for the 343 million people facing hunger and starvation, with significant downsizing expected in countries like Afghanistan and Yemen. The cuts are expected to affect both emergency food aid and long-term development projects.

Founded in 1961, the WFP won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 and delivers food assistance in emergencies and works to improve nutrition and build resilience. WFP operates in more than 120 countries and employs about 22,000 people worldwide.


Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2025), World Food Programme, Internal restructuring in Italy, factsheet number 203641, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/restructuring-events/detail/203641.