World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Drought and conflict are threatening lives in southern Somalia and forcing refugees to stream across the border into Ethiopia and Kenya. 

The drought afflicting the Horn of Africa region has left millions at the mercy of hunger, threatening the livelihoods of farmers and pastoralists, and putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of children at risk.  Protecting the brains and bodies of young children, and pregnant and lactating women through special nutritional food is our top priority.

WFP Spokesman, David Orr, on his return from Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya this week: “I met Somali women and children who had walked for weeks to reach the safety of refugee camps in Kenya. 

From mega-emergencies, such as the earthquake in Haiti or the floods in Pakistan, to headline-grabbing humanitarian crises, such as the conflicts in Cote d’Ivoire or Libya, the international community has stepped up to help those impacted by disaster and tragedy over the last few years. 

Desperate hunger is looming across the Horn of Africa and threatening the lives of millions who are struggling to survive in the face of rising food prices and conflict. 

GALKAYO, Somalia – The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, Josette Sheeran, today highlighted the suffering of the Somali people that she witnessed during a visit to a region of Somalia affected by war and deepening drought.

DADAAB – The heads of three United Nations agencies today expressed deep concern about the living conditions of more than 314,000 Somali refugees during a visit to three camps in Dadaab in northeastern Kenya.  More refugees are arriving daily, crowding more people into one of the largest refugee concentrations in the world.

MOGADISHU – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners this week began an emergency distribution of food to an additional 50,000 people in Mogadishu in response to the drought gripping much of the country.

ROME – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today said it would welcome an independent investigation into its food assistance operations in Somalia.  At the same time, the agency said it would not engage in any new work with three transport contractors named in a report from the United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia, which alleged they were involved in arms-trading.

ROME -- Rising threats and attacks on humanitarian operations, as well as the imposition of a string of unacceptable demands from armed groups, have made it virtually impossible for the World Food Programme (WFP) to continue reaching up to one million people in need in southern Somalia.