The budget revision (BR) envisages extension in time by six months until the end of June 2011.

 The April 2010 political events in the Kyrgyz Republic resulted in a change of government and left a void in national security which was exploited, further exacerbating the situation. Tensions finally erupted on 10 June with mass violence in the southern areas of Osh and Jalalabad in the Kyrgyz Republic, which led to mass internal displacement of about 300,000 persons and an estimated 100,000 refugees who have fled to the Republic of Uzbekistan. Starting 22 June, refugees started to return in Kyrgyzstan and on 26 June the Government of Uzbekistan declared that refugees’ camps were empty and the relief operations in support to this population were terminated. 

Preliminary assessments by WFP’s counterparts in the targeted areas suggest that the needs of the returnees and affected population are massive due to large-scale destruction of housing and loss of assets. Access to food is limited. On 11 June 2010, the Government officially requested the support of the United Nations to provide humanitarian assistance to the affected populations.

While access to affected populations within Kyrgyzstan has been constrained by fighting, WFP has responded to the crisis with two immediate response emergency operations in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. Through this emergency operation (EMOP), WFP plans to provide emergency food assistance to 560,000 food-insecure conflict-affected people in the Kyrgyz Republic, from July to December 2010. Food assistance will be channeled through general food distributions and institutional feeding. WFP will target the most vulnerable households among the conflict-affected populations, including displaced families, returnees and residents who have lost their houses and key assets. WFP beneficiary figures and programmatic response will be reviewed as the findings of ongoing needs assessments become available. 

WFP’s response is part of the United Nations Flash Appeal issued on 18 June 2010. WFP will draw from existing in-country stocks to extend immediate support and will need to replenish those stocks to sustain the ongoing operation in the Kyrgyz Republic. WFP requires a total of 28,284 mt of food commodities, at a total cost of US$ 23.1 million to cover food, transport and support costs.

The EMOP addresses Strategic Objective 1 – Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies.

Countries

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked, country in Central Asia dominated by the majestic Tian Shan snow-capped mountain range. A former Soviet Republic, the country gained independence in 1991....