Belgian donation helps UN food agency fight neglected African crises

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a 5 million euro Belgian donation to provide urgently needed food not only to Niger, current focus of media attention, but also to neglected crises in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Mali, south Sudan, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

“This is one of the largest contributions ever made by the Government of Belgium to WFP's operations around the world and reflects an increasing and ever stronger partnership between WFP and Belgium in the fight against hunger,” WFP Executive Director James T. Morris said.

While Belgium is joining forces in the fight against hunger in Niger by allocating 1 million euros to help alleviate the suffering of 2.6 million people there, it is also answering WFP's call not to forget the plight of the surrounding countries which are also suffering from the consequences of drought and the worst locust invasion in 15 years.

Millions of people in the sub-Saharan Sahel region who are far away from the cameras are suffering similar problems as in Niger and Belgium has responded to this crisis with a 400,000 euros donation for WFP's operations in Mali.

In the eastern regions of the DRC, WFP and Belgium will combine forces to help feed 1.1 million people, mostly in North and South Kivu as well as in Ituri where atrocities against civilians, including rape of women and girls and kidnapping for ransom, are routinely perpetrated by armed militia and bandits. To help bring peace there, part of the new Belgian contribution will be used to provide food rations to demobilized combatants and their families.

The new contribution almost doubles the Belgian government's assistance to WFP so far this year to 9.63 million euros.

“With these new cash contributions, WFP will be able to respond rapidly to the urgent needs of tens of thousands of people who rarely get the attention they deserve, people who do not live in high-profile crises that get media attention and where WFP is most often poorly funded,” Mr. Morris said.