The World Food Programme has revealed that fund by donors in 2018 saved the North-East geopolitical zone ravaged by insurgent activities from famine.
Earlier in 2018 the WFP announced that it would need $200 million in the first quarter of the year in order to avert food insecurity and crisis in the region. In spite the challenge, the WFP was able to support families in the region with food and financial assistance.
Recently the government of Republic of South Korea supported WFP with $500,000 making the total donation of the country to humanitarian effort in Northeast Nigeria to $2.5m in 2018.
The donation by the Republic of South Korea is one of the donations the WFP enjoyed in 2018 in the quest to provide humanitarian assistance to Nigerians in the Northeast.
The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria Maj. Gen. In-tae Lee said the Korean government is making efforts to address the needs of the most vulnerable people stressing that the country is ready to fight malnutrition and poverty in Nigeria.
“The Korean Government has been making unwavering efforts to address the needs of the most vulnerable people and I am glad that we are endowing Nigeria with the total sum of US$2.5 million, including our recent contribution to WEP. We stand ready to fight against malnutrition and poverty, joining hands with the people of Nigeria,” he said.
The contribution IMPACT learnt would avail WFP the ground to continue in its humanitarian effort of providing food assistance to Nigerian families displaced or otherwise affected by insurgence in the north-east.
Through food assistance procured with the contribution, recipient families are able to prepare and consume nutritious meals to stay healthy.
The Country Representative of the World Food Programme, Myrta Kaulard described the latest donation by the government of Korea as a timely funding and lifesaving action. She promised that WFP would continue to sustain the momentum of response in the region where large numbers of people remain reliant upon WFP assistance.
“This timely funding from the Republic of Korea builds on earlier support when parts of Northeast Nigeria were on the verge of famine. We shall continue to sustain the momentum of our response in northeast Nigeria where large numbers of people remain reliant upon WFP assistance made possible through the generosity of donours such as the Republic of Korea” she said.
The Republic of Korea has over the years been a major donor to the WFP. In 2018 the country made a donation of $42.5 million that was used to purchase 50,000 metric tons of Korean rice and provide life saving food assistance in Syria, Yemen, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda.
WFP however restated its commitment to continue to provide food assistance to Nigerian families displaced or otherwise affected by a devastating conflict now entering its tenth year.
