The Republic Of Korea Supports WFP’s Fight Against Malnutrition In Sudan
KHARTOUM – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a contribution of US$300,000 from the Government of the Republic of Korea to assist WFP’s nutrition programme in Sudan.
WFP will use part of the funds to purchase Plumpy Sup, a specialized nutritional product for the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition. This nutritious paste will be provided to around 2,500 children under the age of five and pregnant and nursing women from South Sudan who have sought refuge in White Nile, South Kordofan and West Kordofan states in Sudan.
The remaining funds will be used to buy 149 metric tons of Super Cereal, a highly nutritious porridge, for WFP’s nutrition programmes in North and South Darfur states.
“We are very grateful to the Government of the Republic of Korea for this timely contribution which will boost our efforts to meet the needs of thousands of South Sudanese who have crossed into Sudan.
Many of these refugees are suffering from alarmingly high levels of malnutrition. The donation will also help us sustain our nutrition activities in Darfur, where prolonged conflict has caused malnutrition among the very young and their mothers,” said WFP Country Director in Sudan Adnan Khan.
Nutrition activities are a key component of WFP’s emergency response in Sudan where more than 2 million children suffer from life-threatening acute malnutrition every year.
During the last five years, Korea has contributed a total of US$1.4 million to WFP operations in Sudan.
“I am glad that the Government of the Republic of Korea has made some contribution to solving malnutrition in Sudan. In fact, Korea is the only country that has emerged from an aid-receiving poor country to an aid-giving developed country since World War II. Koreans nowadays believe that Korea should pay back to the international community what it has received in the past. In that regard, I look forward to a continued support coming from Korea to help solving humanitarian crisis in Sudan,” said the Korean Ambassador in Sudan, Park Won-sup.
Sudan remains one of WFP’s largest and most complex operations, providing food assistance to people suffering from conflict, displacement and chronic under-nourishment in Darfur, as well as in the east and border areas to the south.
In 2014, WFP plans to assist 4.1 million people across Sudan, 3.2 million of whom are in the conflict-affected region of Darfur through general food distributions, food for training, food for work, school feeding and nutrition programmes to prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition among women and children.
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WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food in emergencies and working with communities to build resilience. In 2013, WFP assisted more than 80 million people in 75 countries.
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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Amor Almagro, WFP/Khartoum, Tel. +249 183248001 (ext. 2114), Mob. +249 912174853
Abdulaziz Abdulmomin, WFP/Khartoum, Tel. +249 183248001 (ext. 2123), Mob. +249 912167055