USA's 3rd donation of wheat aid to Yemen handed over
The Source: SANA'A\Hadhramaut\Saba - Monday -05/May/2014
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The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received the third and final donation of wheat aid provided by the U.S. government's Food for Peace office to Yemen.
The total donations of the Office since the beginning of this year amounted to 21,800 metric tons of wheat, valued at US$ 20 million.
In 2013, the United States provided 77,500 metric tons of food to WFP in Yemen. The latest batch of wheat was discharged at Hodeidah port in April and will be distributed by WFP as part of food rations to some of the 2.8 million severely food insecure Yemenis being assisted in the first half of 2014. Food insecurity is a level of need where people struggle to buy or produce enough food for a healthy life on a daily basis.
“The United States has consistently been our largest donor, and this contribution reflects its continuing commitment to the well-being of the people of Yemen. Moreover, it ensures that we can meet all our requirements to provide much-needed emergency assistance to the poorest segments of Yemeni society,” the WFP Country Director Bishow Parajuli said in the handover ceremony held by the WFP at its Sana'a warehouse on Monday.
“WFP is extremely grateful to the U.S. Government and people”, Parajuli added.
Speaking at the ceremony, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Karen Sasahara lauded the American government-WFP partnership as a model for providing badly needed humanitarian assistance: “It is through partnership and cooperation between international donors with the Yemeni government and private sector that we have any chance of combating this country’s humanitarian crisis.
The USAID is working hard to align humanitarian efforts such as these food assistance contributions with longer-term development efforts in order to build resilience against future crises,” she said.
The 2013 US contribution to WFP Yemen was worth more than US$68.5 million, enough to feed more than 3 million hungry Yemenis for six months. WFP expects a similar amount this year. These additional funds will help support a relief and recovery operation being launched in July with an emphasis on enabling a gradual shift from relief to livelihood support and building resilience.
The operation, which aims to provide assistance to 6 million people, covers a range of interventions including helping to develop agriculture, rural infrastructure, rainwater conservation and rural employment, as well as providing treatment and prevention of acute and chronic malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, and meals and take-home rations for children regularly attending school.
The WFP carried out all these activities with the full cooperation and support of the Yemeni Government.
During a recent meeting with WFP, Prime Minister Mohammed Salim Basindwa said: “I am looking forward to continuing the longstanding strong relationship between Yemen and WFP and thank all donors and government institutions for their continued partnership with WFP.”
In 2013, WFP’s operations in Yemen reached nearly 5 million people, through emergency food assistance, cash transfers, food assistance to IDPs and returnees, nutritional support for children under five and pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as refugees.
The WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. On average, WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in 80 countries each year.
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