Japan contributes US$ 2.7 million to provide lifesaving food assistance in the Central African Republic
BANGUI – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of US$ 2.7 million (Yen 300 million) from the Government of Japan to provide food assistance to vulnerable people including women and children affected by armed conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic in the Central African Republic (C.A.R).
This contribution will allow WFP to purchase more than 1,700 metric tons of food items to assist 120,000 people, including internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and extremely vulnerable host communities facing deepening hunger.
‘’WFP is grateful to the people and the Government of Japan for this timely contribution and longstanding support,” said Peter Schaller, WFP Representative and Country Director in the C.A.R “The contribution comes at a crucial time as COVID-19 is aggravating the already severe food security crisis.”.
The humanitarian needs in C.A.R have continued to increase because of the advent of new pockets of violent conflict, rising food insecurity and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Integrated Food Security Analysis, published in October, indicated that 1.9 million people are in food insecurity and projects that the number of food insecure would rise to 2.3 million without any food assistance.
‘’We recognize that addressing the heightened food insecurity in CAR is of utmost importance, especially amid this global health emergency. We hope that our donation will support the efforts made by WFP to help vulnerable Central Africans during these difficult times’’ said Mr. OSAWA Tsutomu, Ambassador of Japan to the Central African Republic.
WFP currently provides food and nutrition assistance to some 800,000 people every month. However, the organisation urgently requires US$ 71 million to support nearly one million people for the next six months.
# # #
The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are 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.
Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_WAfrica
