Government contributes to WFP food aid operations

The Iraqi government has said its US$40 million donation to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to provide internally displaced persons (IDPs) nationwide with food assistance would help ease the displacement problem.

"We do believe that this contribution will boost international efforts in Iraq and will ease the suffering of our people who are in dire need of help," a government statement said on 2 June.

However, there was no detail on how the food aid would be purchased or distributed, although WFP said it was considering buying food from the Iraqi market to reduce transportation costs and to help stimulate the local economy.

"This contribution came at a crucial time and will allow us to maintain a regular and continuous food supply and distribution to up to 750,000 people over the next six months," said WFP Iraq country director Stefano Porretti.

"The donation shows the government's commitment to support all Iraqis, particularly those not covered by the government-run food distribution system," Porretti added.

On 3 January, the WFP announced a $126 million emergency operation to provide food assistance for a year, targeting 750,000 people among the most vulnerable IDPs inside Iraq, as well as 360,000 Iraqi refugees in Syria.

"Thanks to the Iraqi donation, the largest the government has contributed to any UN agency, the Iraqi part of the operation is now 85 percent funded," the WFP statement said. "However, the Syrian part of the operation for 360,000 people still faces a 45 percent shortfall."

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said more than 4.2 million Iraqis have fled their homes - most since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Of these, two million are living as refugees in neighbouring countries – mostly in Syria and Jordan – while 2.7 million are IDPs.

sm/ar/mw