Germany supports WFP assistance in Syria as humanitarian needs reach unprecedented levels
DAMASCUS – With a record number of Syrians struggling to meet their basic needs, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a donation of 109 million Euro from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO) to provide lifesaving food and nutrition support to millions of vulnerable people in 2021 - 2022.
After a decade of crisis, today a staggering 12.4 million Syrians are food insecure – the highest number recorded since the conflict began. This donation will support 4.8 million Syrians to access lifesaving food and over 600,000 children to access nutritious food through an emergency school feeding programme.
“There is less food on Syrian tables than ever before,” said WFP Country Director in Syria Sean O’Brien. “Staple foods are more expensive than ever, and for the majority of families, each month is harder than the last. Millions of people rely on food from WFP to survive and to improve their nutrition, so WFP is grateful for the German Government’s ongoing support for families across the country.”
The German donation comes at a critical time when Syrian families are facing an economic downturn, record high food prices, large-scale population displacement and years of protracted conflict that have combined to push an additional 4.5 million people into food insecurity in the last year alone.
Throughout the last decade, 6.5 million Syrians have been internally displaced, and 2.4 million children remain out of school. Support from WFP helps highly vulnerable Syrians to access lifesaving food and ensures that children have the best chance possible to boost their nutrition and get the best possible start to life.
GFFO remains one of the largest donors to WFP Syria and has supported families across the country to fight hunger, improve their nutrition and rebuild their lives.
# # #
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 and @wfp_syria
