China supports WFP's assistance to vulnerable people in East and West Africa
BEIJING - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of China have signed agreements to provide food assistance to vulnerable people in Ethiopia and Guinea whose food security is being further undermined by the socio-economic effects of COVID-19. The resulting loss of jobs in the casual labour market and the loss of remittances sent from abroad have had a huge impact on poor familes in many parts of the world.
David Beasley, WFP’s Executive Director, signed the agreements with Xiaotao Wang, Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) on 10 September. CIDCA oversees China’s foreign aid.
The contribution from Government of China enables WFP to provide food assistance to more than 300,000 people in need in the two countries. WFP is aiming to procure more than 6,000 metric tons of food to provide rations of maize, rice, peas, oil and salt, as well as specialized blended food for the prevention of malnutrition among women and young children.
“WFP is grateful for this new contribution from the Government of China, which comes at a critical time when WFP is appealing for more resources to respond to increasing needs,” said Sixi Qu, WFP China Representative. “WFP is scaling up its emergency food assistance to the most vulnerable people affected by COVID-19. One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that we have sufficient funds to continue to provide uninterrupted life-saving assistance.”
The contribution was made under the framework of the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to support the two countries, where the number of food insecure people on the rise. With the countries facing the pandemic, as well as shocks such as drought and locust infestation, it is essential that WFP continues to provide food assistance to the most vulnerable.
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