The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the UN World Food Programme for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace.

The WFP, the 101st winner of a prize now worth 10m Swedish krona ($1.1m; £875,000), said it was “deeply humbled” to have won.

Some 107 organisations and 211 individuals were nominated for the award this year.

WFP head David Beasley told the BBC’s Newshour he was in shock following the announcement.

“I was literally for the first time in my life without words,” he said.

“To receive this award is a recognition to the men and women at the World Food Programme who put their lives on the line every day for the struggling, suffering people around the world. So I hope this is a signal and a message that the World Food Programme is a role model and that we all have got to do more.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was among those to congratulate the group.

“If there is a deserving organisation then this is certainly one of them. The people there do incredible work helping others and therefore I am very pleased about the awarding of this Nobel Peace Prize,” she said.

The World Health Organization and climate activist Greta Thunberg were among the favourites to win this year.

Under the Nobel Foundation’s rules, nomination shortlists are not allowed to be published for 50 years, and the organisation says any speculation ahead of the announcement is “sheer guesswork”.