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Italian Cooperation donates
3.1mln USD to drought-affected communities |
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ADDIS
ABEBA(November 21,2008)
- The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) received
on Wednesday a contribution of US$ 3.1 million (2 million Euro) from
the Italian Government to help provide emergency support to communities
facing drought and high food prices.
The donation from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Development
Cooperation Directorate will allow WFP to purchase 2,830 metric tons
of wheat and also to repay a loan to the internal WFP Immediate Response
Account (IRA) facility, which allowed WFP to receive advance funds
to procure food commodities for Ethiopia, announced the World Food
Program in its news release.
"This contribution comes at a critically important time as WFP
is facing significant shortfalls well into next year, which may constrain
our efforts to respond to the urgent food requirements of people affected
by the drought," said Mohatned Diab, WFP Country Director, adding
that the WFP thanks the Italian Cooperation in Ethiopia for its support
of WFP's humanitarian interventions in the country.
The Italian Ambassador in Ethiopia, Raffaele de Lutio, underlining
the Cooperation's commitment to working with the humanitarian community
to ensure timely support for those suffering from the drought "that
has affected large territories, and some seventeen million people
in the Horn of Africa region as a whole", said, 'The Italian
Government remains steadfast in its support of all humanitarian actors
trying to deliver some hope to individuals and communities caught
in the grip of yet another cyclical drought in the region."
The news release reminded that currently 6.4 million people require
urgent humanitarian assistance in the country, and although recent
rains have improved the availability of food in some areas, in others,
the situation has reportedly deteriorated.
About four million beneficiaries in drought-hit areas of the SNNPR,
OROMIA, and Somali regions, according to WFP, are currently receiving
a monthly food ration comprising cereals, vegetable oil and salt,
with blended food with minerals and vitamins to the most vulnerable
and at risk.
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