New Zealand is giving the World Food Programme $500,000 for emergency food aid in Timor Leste, Foreign Minister Winston Peters announced today.
"New Zealand must do what it can to help prevent a serious humanitarian disaster from occurring," Mr Peters said.
"Timor Leste already has one of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world, with over half the population suffering either chronic or acute malnutrition.
"It is suffering a severe drought, which is further compounding the problem of feeding several thousand families that were displaced by last year's violence are now struggling to survive.
"New Zealand's assistance will be targeted at rural families who are sheltering people displaced by the conflict in Dili, and will also focus on feeding children attending school."
The World Food Programme contribution is in addition to New Zealand's annual aid and development work in Timor Leste, worth $4.1 million.