Food operation under threat, WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that the operation to feed millions of people in Iraq is facing severe financial constraints. According to Calum Gardner, WFP’s Amman-based Iraq programme director, only 44 percent of the money required for the programme has been invested so far and he called on donors to make the rest of the money available. The project has so far helped 1.7 million Iraqis. “We need to receive the funds for the programme soon because if it takes much more time, we will be obliged to stop assisting millions of Iraqis,” Gardner said. The programme is aimed at helping more than 3 million impoverished Iraqis, half of whom are children, and many suffering from malnutrition and water borne diseases. “Nearly US $66 million is required to complete the programme which ends in the December 2005,” Gardner said. “Until now we have only received around US $30 million and urgent action needs to be taken to preserve this important project.” Most of the money invested in Iraq has been switched to reconstruction and security projects, resulting in a shortage in money going to the areas of health and food support, Ministry of Trade officials complained. “Millions of Iraqis are dying and require urgent action and support from the whole world, but politics and security issues have caused people to forget the poor and those desperate for food,” said Ahmed Abdul Walled, a senior official in the ministry. The WFP operation was launched in September 2004 and has so far has helped thousands of people. “The programme has helped me, my family and my sick malnourished child, but if it stops I will just be one more woman going to the streets of the capital begging for help for my loved ones,” said Hind Salmany, a 37-year-old mother of four and Baghdad resident. A survey developed by the WFP in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation revealed that more than 27 percent of Iraqi children are chronically malnourished, despite receiving monthly food rations through the government's public distribution system as well as help from international humanitarian organisations. “More than 240,000 malnourished children in Iraq depend on this programme which is under a very grave threat,” Mustafa Nader, a senior official on the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation, said. Two donors contacted by IRIN said that they are currently studying the case and are going to help communicate the situation to others who are able to support the project, but the WFP has not been informed so far. Iraqis fear that if the programme stops, the health and psychological wellbeing of their children will be severely affected.