ADDIS ABABA – The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of US$1 million from the Government of Egypt to assist 100,000 people affected by drought in the Somali region of Ethiopia.
“This contribution comes at an absolutely critical time, when resources are urgently needed to continue the enormous effort by the Government of Ethiopia and WFP to provide food assistance to millions of drought-affected people,” said John Aylieff, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in Ethiopia.
With this contribution, WFP will be able to buy more than 1,700 metric tons of food to provide family rations of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil to some of the people hit hardest by drought in pastoralist areas.
“The Egyptian Government and people could not remain unmoved by the suffering El Niño has caused to millions in Ethiopia, and the message I have been entrusted to carry is one of solidarity and support,” said Dr Azem Fahmy, Secretary General of the Egyptian Agency of Partnership for Development (EAPD).
More than 10 million people in Ethiopia have been affected by one of the worst droughts in decades. WFP is working with the Government of Ethiopia to reach 7.6 million of those who are coping with the effects of the drought. However, WFP still urgently requires USD 350 million in order to continue food distributions beyond April.
The Egyptian contribution is particularly significant because, while the Government of Egypt has consistently provided financial support for WFP’s operations within Egypt, this is the largest contribution that Egypt has ever given to support WFP’s work in another country.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 80 million people in around 80 countries.
For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Stephanie Savariaud, WFP/Addis Ababa, Mob. +251 911 201 976
Melese Awoke, WFP/Addis Ababa, Mob. +251 911 201 981