Source: CNN
The United Nations World Food director recently said that the world’s ultra-wealthy could put a lasting end to world hunger.
This would be an ambitious feat, but if anyone can do it, it may just be this self-made entrepreneur who has already made his mark in so many different areas of business and technology!
In a tweet revealing the statements of the UN World Food Director which Elon Musk replied, he said he’d be willing to sell some Tesla stock to raise $6 billion and end world hunger if they showed precisely how the money would be spent.
According to the UN, ending world hunger means preventing 42 million from dying of hunger and the billionaire who’s worth over $300 billion said he’s ready to open his chequebook.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who has enjoyed an exponential rise in his net worth by over $140 billion thanks to the skyrocketing value of his electric automaker company, responded in a tweet that he’d consider a proposal from the UN. He implied that if indeed $6 billion could end world hunger, then he’d be willing to end it once and for all.
A week ago, David Beasley, the UN’s World Food Program director, urged the super-wealthy to “step up now, on a one-time basis” to help “42 million people globally who are on the brink of death if no intervention is made.” He mentioned Elon Musk and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as two people who could conveniently solve this challenge for the world.
A Twitter user pointed out that 2% of Elon Musk’s net worth, about $6 billion, could solve hunger problems in the world. If Elon Musk sells $6 billion of Tesla stocks to donate, it would be the largest known charitable contribution he has made. Replying to the tweet, Elon Musk said if the UN’s World Food Program showed him exactly how they would use the donation to solve world hunger, he would donate immediately. He also said the UN’s plan must include “open source accounting” to ensure transparency to the public on how the money is spent.
Beasley replied to Musk some hours later, saying he could be on the next flight to him to make his propositions and also said, “throw me out if you don’t like what you hear.”
Beasley also said that the $6 billion figure may not solve world hunger but will go a long way in preventing global political instability, mass migration, and save 42 million people who are about to fall into severe starvation.
Musk further requested the organization’s proposed and current expenditure in detail, saying, “Sunlight is a wonderful thing.”
Musk further made another tweet questioning a 2015 report alleging that UN peacekeepers were sexually abusing children in the Central African Republic in 2015. His tweet read, “What happened here?”
Musk had also received criticism for not giving away more of his massive wealth, although he already said he prefers anonymous donations when giving money away. He also asked Twitter users for “critical feedback” on ways he can donate.
He gave away $150 million earlier this year, including a $100 million prize in a carbon removal contest.
Opinions expressed by NY Weekly contributors are their own.
