WFP warns of serious food shortages

WFP yesterday warned of serious food shortages in Freetown within two to three months if the fighting continued. In a news release, the Sierra Leone country representative Patrick Buckley said many businesses had been severely hit by the fighting and subsequent looting. “If commercial food is not replenished, we could well be faced with a full-blown food crisis in two to three months,” he warned. Under a humanitarian contingency plan, UN agencies and NGOs will provide food, shelter and medical supplies to the most vulnerable people, the statement said.

According to Buckley, parts of the capital “are completely razed by fire, and chaos and uncertainty dominate the daily lives of the people”. He said WFP would continue to assist the people of Sierra Leone, but urged all sides in the conflict to respect an acceptable level of security for humanitarian workers.