WFP appeals for $810mln to keep life-saving assistance going, invest in long-term resilience in HOA

Addis Ababa, May 24, 2023 (FBC) – Hunger emergency far from over in crisis hit Horn of Africa, said the World Food Programme (WFP), appealing for US$810 million over the next six months to keep life-saving assistance going and invest in long-term resilience in the region.

“Conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks: the Horn of Africa region is facing multiple crises simultaneously. After five consecutive failed rainy seasons, flooding has replaced drought, killing livestock, damaging farmland, and further shattering livelihoods,” said Michael Dunford, WFP Regional Director for Eastern Africa. “And now the outbreak of conflict in Sudan is forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.”

WFP highlighted that in contrast to the relief, the region’s long-awaited rains last March brought flash flooding which inundated homes and farmland, washed away livestock, and closed schools and health facilities.

The last three years of drought has left more than 23 million people across parts of the HOA region facing hunger, WFP’s statement recalled.

Recalling WFP and partners’ rapid scale up of life-saving assistance in drought-hit areas of the region last year, the World Food Programme confirmed that now it is facing a funding crunch and is being forced to scale back assistance.

It is stated that WFP was distributing food assistance to a record 4.7 million people in Somalia last year. But in April, funding shortfalls forced WFP to reduce this to 3 million people, it is revealed.

WFP warns that without additional funds, it will have to further reduce the emergency food assistance caseload in Somalia to just 1.8 million by July. This means that almost 3 million people will not receive support, despite their continuing needs.

Accordingly, WFP appealed for US$810 million over the next six months to keep life-saving assistance going and invest in long-term resilience in the Horn of Africa.