Switzerland contributes US$ 2.8M to tackle hunger in DRC
KINSHASA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a US$ 2.8 million contribution from the Government of Switzerland to support emergency food and nutrition assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
"The funding from Switzerland comes at a critical time as it enables us to respond to the food and nutritional needs of children and breastfeeding mothers suffering from acute malnutrition,” said WFP DRC Country Representative Moumini Ouedraogo.
Over the past years, the Government of Switzerland has been a consistent and strong supporter of WFP in the DRC. In 2022, Switzerland contributed US$ 22 million through the Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) to WFP's Immediate Response Account, a life-saving funding facility allowing WFP to respond to emergencies. WFP used US$ 4.3 million of this contribution to provide critical humanitarian assistance to 226,000 people in eastern DRC.
DRC's humanitarian situation remains dire, partly due to the continued conflict in eastern DRC and poor agricultural productivity, with 26 million people facing food insecurity. 2.6 million children and 1.8 million pregnant and breastfeeding mothers need food assistance and treatment to prevent malnutrition. WFP requires US$ 285 million to meet the needs of 7.2 million people in the next six months.
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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.