Mon 01 November 2021:
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, threw an open challenge to the United Nations on Halloween.
After UN World Food Program (WFP) director David Beasley said 2 per cent of Elon Musk’s wealth could solve world hunger, as reported by CNN, Musk said he is ready to spend the amount if UN can tell how that will help solve world hunger.
Elon Musk has US $311 billion in wealth, according to the billionaires index, and 2 per cent of his wealth amounts to $6 billion.
In response to Beasley’s comments shared on Twitter by Dr Eli David, researcher and co-founder of a company named Deep Instinct, the Tesla founder posted that he is ready to help if WFP can describe on the same Twitter thread how $6 billion will solve world hunger.
Musk, while challenging the UN, wrote he was ready to sell enough Tesla shares immediately and solve world hunger.
“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”, Musk posted.
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.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2021
David posted on Twitter Beasley’s comment that 2% of Elon Musk’s wealth is $6B, and shared a screenshot of what the UN official told CNN, in the same tweet. He also wrote: “In 2020 the UN World Food Program (WFP) raised $8.4 B. How come it didn’t “solve world hunger”?
Musk wrote in the same thread: “But it must be open source accounting, so the public sees precisely how the money is spent”.
Fact check:
🔹 2% of @elonmusk‘s wealth is $6B
🔹 In 2020 the UN World Food Program (WFP) raised $8.4B. How come it didn’t “solve world hunger”?— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) October 30, 2021
Beasley’s Comments On Solving World Hunger
Beasley, in an interview to CNN, said that billionaires need to step up on a one-time basis, and specifically referred to the two richest men in the world, Jeff Bezos and Musk.
He added that $6 billion would help 42 million people that are literally going to die if “we don’t reach them”. “It’s not complicated,” he said.
After Musk challenged Beasley to write on the Twitter thread the exact strategy which will help solve world hunger, Beasley issued a clarification. He wrote that the headline of the CNN article was not accurate, and that he had been misunderstood.
.@DrEliDavid, We’ve never said $6B would solve world hunger. This is a one-time donation to save 42 million lives during this unprecedented hunger crisis.
— David Beasley (@WFPChief) October 31, 2021
Beasley clarified that $6 billion is a one-time donation to save 42 million lives during the unprecedented hunger crisis, and that the $8.4 billion being referred to by Eli covers what the WFP needed to reach 115 million people in 2020 with food assistance. Beasley wrote they needed $6 billion now on top of their existing funding requirements due to the storm from the compounding impact of Covid, conflict and climate shocks.
Beasley tweeted: “@elonmusk Headline not accurate. $6B will not solve world hunger, but it WILL prevent geopolitical instability, mass migration and save 42 million people on the brink of starvation. An unprecedented crisis and a perfect storm due to Covid/conflict/climate crises”.
He added, while addressing Musk: “With your help we can bring hope, build stability and change the future.”
Beasley continued: “Let’s talk: It isn’t as complicated as Falcon Heavy, but too much at stake to not at least have a conversation. I can be on the next flight to you. Throw me out if you don’t like what you hear!”
Musk appeared amused by the clarification from the WFP director, and replied: “Please publish your current and proposed spending in detail so people can see exactly where money goes.” Musk also posted the link to an article which mentioned UN officials asked sexual favours in exchange for food.
Though Musk wants WFP to publicly reveal their plans of using $6 Billion to solve world hunger, Beasley wants to have a proper conversation with the billionaire about the same.
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