The following Press Release was issued by the World Food Programme, the United Nations Agency which fights hunger worldwide.
26 November 2014
US GOVERNMENT HELPS WFP CONTINUE FOOD ASSISTANCE TO MILLIONS OF SYRIANS WITH US$125 MILLION CONTRIBUTION
AMMAN– The United States government has confirmed a contribution of an additional US$125 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to help feed millions of Syrians in need. Confirmation of the funding has arrived at the start of winter, when the need for food and other assistance becomes more urgent than ever.
The contribution from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) included US$55 million to help WFP provide food to over 4 million people living inside Syria and US$70 million for assistance to over 2 million Syrian refugees in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, through food vouchers.
Because of this contribution, WFP has been able to maintain the food voucher programme for refugees throughout November and has been able to secure food for distribution to affected families within Syria in November and December.
“This valuable contribution came at a critical time for the people of Syria as they try to cope with a looming harsh winter ahead,” says Muhannad Hadi, WFP’s Regional Emergency Coordinator for the Syria crisis. “Our deepest appreciation to USAID for its continuous and unfaltering support in helping us reach the families who desperately rely on us.”
Since the onset of the war in Syria, the US government has injected close to a billion dollars in food assistance (US$933 million) to thousands of hungry Syrian families through WFP making it our largest donor both regionally and globally.
WFP requires US$35 million each week to feed those left hungry by the war in Syria and needs an immediate US$65 million to meet the urgent food needs of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries during the month of December.
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. In 2013, WFP assisted more than 80 million people in 75 countries.