UN food agency seeks nearly $50 million for refugees in east and central Africa

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) appealed today for urgent contributions of $48.3 million to feed 600,000 refugees from conflicts in eastern and central Africa for the rest of the year.

In the five settlement countries affected – Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan – the refugees are dependent on food aid because most have been put in camps where arable land is scarce and employment opportunities limited, according to the agency.

“The international community has a responsibility towards refugees,” said WFP Regional Director for Eastern and Central Africa, Holdbrook Arthur. “Their status is acknowledged and protected by international law.”

“A reduction in food aid will have a devastating impact on the lives, health and morale of refugees in the region,” he said. “We will fail them if a lack of resources prevents us from feeding them.”

Funding crises have already forced WFP to reduce rations to levels below acceptable and healthful nutritional standards. As a result, malnutrition levels have increased and the refugees have become more vulnerable to disease.