The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced on Tuesday a need for at least $161 million by the end of 2022 to avoid a suspension of the programs WFP aid to refugees and provide life-saving assistance to communities affected by the crisis in Chad, reports a press release published on the UN website.
« Refugees rely on us for what is sometimes the only meal they have in a day – WFP food is a vital lifeline, » said the WFP representative in Chad, Pierre Honnorat, quoted in the statement.
Since June 2021, WFP has been forced to provide half rations to refugees due to major funding shortages.
The two UN bodies fear that any further suspension of food aid could have serious repercussions on food security, nutrition and the protection of refugees. “Cutting this lifeline now will have devastating consequences for the most vulnerable, especially women, girls and children – we are extremely concerned,” Honnorat continues.
In Chad, refugee communities already face severe levels of malnutrition. Some regions even have acute malnutrition rates of over 19% and chronic malnutrition rates of 42%. The situation could worsen without additional funding to stem food aid cuts, the WFP and UNHCR have warned.
According to these two agencies, Chad hosts 577,000 refugees, more than any other country in West and Central Africa. The refugee population increased by 10% last year and is mainly made up of people who fled political instability, social unrest and insecurity in neighboring countries (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria and Sudan).
By OMA Newsletter N° 956 of 29/11/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
