The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has acknowledged the recent donation of $32.5 million from the United States government, which is designated for providing food assistance and nutritional support to internally displaced persons in conflict-affected areas of Nigeria.
Additionally, WFP recognised contributions from the United Kingdom, the African Development Bank, the EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), France, Saudi Arabia, and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
|
|
These acknowledgements come at a critical juncture, as the WFP had issued warnings regarding the potential cessation of its operations in Nigeria by the end of July due to funding shortages.
In a statement released on Friday, WFP emphasised that the financial support received from the United States government will facilitate emergency food and nutrition assistance for communities adversely affected by conflict in Northeast Nigeria.
|
|
|---|
“The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes recent contributions from donors since warning that operations would be forced to shut down in July. This includes new funding from the United States of America to support emergency food and nutrition assistance for communities affected by conflict in Northeast Nigeria,” the statement said.
On Wednesday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the US government donated $32.5 million to WFP to facilitate food assistance and nutritional support to internally displaced individuals in conflict-torn regions of Nigeria.
According to the US government, the assistance includes complementary nutritional support for 41,569 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, as well as 43,235 children.
The donation came less than two months after the WFP announced in July that it would be forced to suspend all emergency food and nutrition aid for 1.3 million people in North-east Nigeria by the end of July due to “critical funding shortfalls” at the organisation.
At the time, WFP said it urgently requires $130 million to prevent an imminent pipeline break and sustain food and nutrition operations through the end of 2025.
This became apparent about seven months after the Donald Trump administration implemented a significant reduction of 92 per cent in the USAID foreign assistance budget. The cut has considerably diminished the agency’s capacity to support developmental initiatives in countries such as Nigeria.
“Acute hunger”
On Friday, WFP indicated that the conflict across Nigeria’s northeast and northwest regions has pushed more than 5 million people into acute hunger, and that more than 2.5 million children are “malnourished”.
It said the US funding, as well as that of other donors received so far, will keep 187 nutrition clinics open across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states. This, WFP said, will encourage and ensure continued treatment for more than 300,000 malnourished children and mothers— a service that was on the brink of shutting down earlier.
In his remarks, WFP Country Director in Nigeria, David Stevenson, explained that the contributions came at a pivotal moment for Nigeria and the wider region.
“Escalating conflict is driving farmers from their fields. Over the past nine months, WFP and partners have recorded more than three attacks each day on communities across the northeast, with farmers among the hardest hit,” the official said.
The WFP boss said the disruption to food production has left families with no means to feed themselves, while those left behind face hunger, displacement, and the risk of recruitment by armed groups.
As Africa’s largest democracy, WFP said Nigeria plays a critical role in safeguarding regional stability and preventing the spread of insecurity across the Sahel.
“With this funding, WFP will continue to advance humanitarian solutions that drive peace and production, helping to restore Northern Nigeria’s potential as the nation’s breadbasket,” the statement said.
It said support from the United States and other donors will enable WFP to sustain operations over the next three months, reaching 850,000 people in camps and host communities with food assistance.
READ ALSO: US may have lost India, Russia to China – Trump
This, WFP said, is a significant reduction from the 1.5 million people it assisted in July, reflecting continued funding shortfalls.
“WFP urgently calls on other donors, including the Nigerian Government and private sector, to help close the funding gap and co-invest in the region,” the UN food agency noted.
It stated that without additional contributions, their operations will face further cuts, putting millions of people at risk of deepening hunger.
