WFP welcomes US$ 3.2 million contribution from the Government of Japan

The funds will allow WFP to purchase some 1,700 metric tons of food commodities to provide food and nutrition assistance to more than 180,000 vulnerable people who had to flee their homes, pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under the age of five and primary school children.

“We are grateful to the Government of Japan for this timely contribution to support crisis-affected people in CAR,” said WFP Deputy Country Director, Ms. Aline Rumonge. “Humanitarian needs are increasing in the country and this contribution will help alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands of conflict-affected people, particularly those uprooted from their homes, and vulnerable children.”

“This is a sign of a good cooperation between the Government of Japan and the Central African Republic. Our aim is to extend the Japanese economic cooperation through WFP with a view to promoting the economic and social development of the Central African Republic,” said Mr.Tsutomu Osawa, Ambassador of Japan to the Central African Republic.

The new contribution comes following the Seventh Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7), held in August in Japan and whose declaration includes the improvement of food security.

WFP will provide the assistance through general food distributions, activities aimed at the prevention and treatment of moderate acute malnutrition, and emergency school feeding in four prefectures including Haute-Kotto, Nana-Grébizi, Ouham-Pende and Ouaka.

According to the 2020 Central African Republic Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), 2.6 million Central Africans - or 52 percent of the total population - will require humanitarian assistance and protection in 2020.

WFP currently provides food and nutrition assistance to some 600,000 people in the country. However, the operation faces a serious funding shortfall and WFP needs US$ 175 million to reach a total of 1.1 million people in 2020.

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