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4h ago

Cindy McCain Takes Medical Leave From U.N. World Food Programme After Mild Stroke

Deputy chief Carl Skau will manage daily operations during her Arizona recovery, with doctors expecting her return in four to six weeks.

MILAN, ITALY - MAY 07: Cindy McCain, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), delivers a speech while attending a panel during the Asian Development Bank’s 58th Annual Meeting at MiCo - Milano Convention Centre on May 07, 2025 in Milan, Italy. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Annual Meeting is a yearly gathering of the ADB's Board of Governors, serving as a prominent platform for discussing economic and social development issues in the Asia-Pacific region. (Photo by Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)
FILE - Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Programme and wife of the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks at the Tempe Center for the Arts, Sept. 28, 2023, in, Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
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Overview

  • The World Food Programme said McCain, 71, suffered a mild stroke in Italy this week and is recovering well with an expected full recovery.
  • She thanked Italian medical staff and will travel from Rome to Arizona to continue recuperation before resuming duties once cleared by doctors.
  • Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau will run day-to-day operations in her absence, and McCain voiced full confidence in the leadership team.
  • WFP emphasized uninterrupted aid delivery, noting its food assistance to more than 100 million people across 87 countries.
  • Appointed in March 2023 after serving as U.S. ambassador to U.N. food agencies, McCain recently highlighted dire food shortages in Gaza following an August visit and discussions with Israel’s leadership.