The April 2010 political events in Kyrgyz Republic resulted in a change of government and left a void in national security. Growing tensions 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 75,000 refugees who have fled to the Republic of Uzbekistan, of whom 60 percent are women, 35 percent are children (less than 18) and five percent are elderly and wounded. Most refugees are concentrated in temporary refugee camps and accommodation centres in the Andijan region of Uzbekistan.

While access to affected populations within Kyrgyzstan is constrained by the ongoing fighting, WFP has responded to the crisis with two Immediate Response emergency operations. One in Kyrgyzstan providing 80 MT of HEB to conflict affected population and one in Uzbekistan providing 40 MT of ready-to eat food and 518 of mixed commodities to refugees displaced to Uzbekistan by the unrest. On the basis of an initial rapid, inter-agency assessment, WFP is now launching a six-month emergency operation to meet the food needs of people seeking refuge in Uzbekistan from the violence in southern Kyrgyzstan. Assistance to address urgent needs inside Kyrgyzstan will be addressed through a separate emergency operation.

The Government of Uzbekistan has led the initial, very organised response to assist the Kyrgyzstani refugees, and has now requested international support through the United Nations. The Government has also offered to facilitate the implementation of WFP food assistance to the refugees. Prior to this crisis, WFP did not have operations inside Uzbekistan (though there is a support base for the Afghanistan programme in the South of the country) and WFP has agreed to integrate the assistance it provides through the Government systems.

This 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....