Opening of new UN offices boosts humanitarian work in Liberia

United Nations humanitarian activities in Liberia have received a needed boost with the opening of seven sub-offices of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) throughout the country.

The announcement yesterday in the port town of Buchanan by Abou Moussa, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Humanitarian Coordinator for Liberia, now enables the humanitarian agencies to expand their work throughout the war-torn West African nation, which last year ended nearly 15 years of bloody civil conflict.

Mr. Moussa said the opening of the field offices in rural Liberia represented a milestone in the UN's efforts to bring the providers of aid closer to their beneficiaries. They "will help WFP work with local government and communities to monitor their food aid requirements, identify needs and design more efficient criteria for targeting beneficiaries," he noted.

The expanded network of field offices will also significantly assist in the return of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), ex-combatants and host communities who absorb them, he added.