Pipeline breaks threaten Angolan repatriation

The World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday warned of a possible break during October in the pipeline for pulses unless the agency received urgent support for its emergency operation (EMOP) to assist Angolan refugees in Namibia. WFP Namibia head, Abdirahman Meygag, told IRIN on Monday that the aid pipeline was threatened "basically due to a lack of financial support from donors". He said the one-year EMOP, which began in June 2003, had received just 43 percent of the total US $1.2 million needed. "Although the numbers [of beneficiaries] have been reduced because some people have returned to Angola, there are still about 16,000 refugees targeted for assistance. The fear is that any rupture in the pipeline is likely to hamper the repatriation process," Meygag said. The UN food agency is supporting the voluntary repatriation programme run by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). WFP said without additional assistance the Namibia operation also faced pipeline breaks for vegetable oil and sugar in November. "If the situation continues like this we could run out of maize by December. We must once again bring to the attention of the international community that the refugees are solely dependent on WFP assistance. They do not have jobs and no land to cultivate," Meygag added.