Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Elon Musk challenges UN to explain how his $6B could end world hunger

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Elon Musk said he would sell some of his Tesla stock and donate it if the United Nations' World Food Programme could explain on Twitter how that would end world hunger.

Specifically, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO wanted to know how his $6 billion - about 2% of his wealth - could eradicate world hunger after comments made by a UN director.

"Congratulations to @elonmusk for passing up @JeffBezos as the world’s richest person - worth a whopping $221B! Elon, to celebrate I’m offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity: help us save 42M people from starvation for just $6.6B!! Offer expires SOON.. and lives do too," David Beasley, executive director for the UN World Food Programme tweeted on Oct. 19.

Beasley then followed up on that tweet during a CNN interview, saying, "the billionaires need to step up now on a on-time basis, $6 billion, to help 42 million people that are literally going to die if we don't reach them. It's not complicated."

CNN published his interview with a headline claiming Beasley had said that 2% of Musk's wealth could solve world hunger.

Musk challenged the call-out and headline insinuation, tweeting "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." Followed by, "But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent."

The UN director tweeted back, clarifying that he never said the $6 billion would "solve" world hunger, rather that the donation would save millions "during this unprecedented hunger crisis."

Beasley is echoing a declaration on the World Food Programme website, that says in part: "WFP has the expertise, deep-field presence and operational scale to stop famine in its tracks, and steer people away from the edge of starvation. We work around the clock to avert famine, but urgently need U.S. $6.6 billion to do this."

Musk's final comment on the matter appeared to be a 6-year-old link to a UK tabloid report which alleged UN peacekeepers had sexually abused hungry children in warzones.



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