US contributes $20m to Afghan returnees food aid

KABUL.

The WFP in a statement welcomed the contribution and said the emergency operation had already been running for five months and WFP had reached 200,000 people so far.

“With the return of hundreds of thousands of returnees, refugees and internally displaced persons flooding the borders and making their way back to their homes, if they have a home to return to, it’s imperative that we help,” said USAID Mission Director Herbie Smith.

He said their was working diligently with the World Food Programme and others to provide funding and support to those in desperate need of help.

He said the US contribution enabled WFP to deliver desperately-needed food to people fleeing flee their homes.

“Secondly, it will help get extra nutritious food to young children who should not have to pay the price of chronic malnutrition. Finally, it will give the Afghan economy a much-needed boost, as we plan to buy as much food as possible locally.”

Mick Lorentzen, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in Afghanistan, said they thanked the government and the people of the United States of America for the assistance.

WFP is providing food and cash assistance for 163,000 undocumented returnees, 200,000 documented returnees, 150,000 internally displaced people, and 35,000 refugees in Khost and Paktika provinces.

WFP is also scaling up existing nutrition programmes in eastern Afghanistan, with special nutrient-dense food being provided to more than 23,000 toddlers from returnee families to stave off malnutrition.

pr/ma