Croatia provides first-ever contribution to WFP in Algeria to support Sahrawi Refugees

This donation comes at a critical time when funding shortfalls threaten assistance for one of the world’s most protracted refugee crises. WFP welcomes Croatia’s commitment and looks forward to strengthening this partnership.

In the remote desert camps near Tindouf, where Sahrawi refugees have lived since 1975, WFP’s assistance remains a lifeline. More than 80 per cent of the population relies entirely on humanitarian aid to meet their basic food needs. Through its partnership with the Algerian Red Crescent, WFP distributes monthly food rations tailored to nutritional needs, while increasingly prioritising programmes that include Social Behaviour Change (SBC) initiatives addressing malnutrition among children and pregnant women and promoting better nutrition practices.

“We sincerely thank the Government of Croatia for standing with Sahrawi refugees and for their commitment to humanitarian action,” said Aline Rumonge, WFP Representative and Country Director in Algeria. “We also extend our appreciation to His Excellency, the Ambassador of Croatia in Algeria, whose efforts were instrumental in making this partnership a reality. This contribution provides vital resources to deliver life-saving food assistance and strengthen the efficiency of our operations in the camps.”

“It is with great pleasure and honour that I welcomed my government’s decision to recognise the need to assist the Sahrawi refugees in Tindouf. This gesture reflects and confirms the excellent relationship between the Croatian Embassy and WFP in Algiers, a partnership of which I am particularly proud. I sincerely hope that this beginning of cooperation between the Government of Croatia and WFP will continue and develop successfully in the future,” said Croatian Ambassador to Algeria, Ilija Želalić.

In 2025, WFP provided more than 22,000 metric tonnes of food to 133,000 beneficiaries including 8,600 pregnant and breastfeeding women with monthly cash-based transfers to improve dietary diversity and reduce anaemia. WFP also distributed specialised nutritious food to prevent and treat moderate acute malnutrition among 15,000 children under five.

WFP Algeria is committed to expanding collaboration with both traditional and emerging government donors. WFP has supported the Sahrawi refugees in Algeria since 1986. Its operations in the country are carried out and monitored in coordination with national and international organisations to ensure food assistance reaches those who need it most.

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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

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