MOGADISHU ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) has welcomed a contribution of 138 metric tons of nutritious dates from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) that will be included in the emergency food baskets provided to the most vulnerable people in Somalia.
KABUL ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) in Afghanistan welcomes a US$2.2 million contribution from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). With this contribution, Â鶹ÊÓƵ will provide over 550 metric tons of specialized nutritious food to 125,000 Afghan mothers and children for three months to prevent malnutrition.
This is a summary of what was said by Samatha Chattaraj, Â鶹ÊÓƵ¡¯s Emergency Coordinator for Sudan (speaking from Port Sudan via Zoom) ¨C to whom quoted text may be attributed ¨C at today's press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
GENEVA ¨C I am here to give you a brief update on Â鶹ÊÓƵ¡¯s operations in Sudan, undoubtably one of the most complex and challenging humanitarian situations.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia ¨C Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise in Ethiopia as ongoing conflict, regional instability, displacement, drought and economic shocks, leave millions without sufficient nutritious food, the UN Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) warned today. The organization¡¯s life-saving response has been severely hampered by critical funding shortfalls as 3.6 million of the most vulnerable are at imminent risk of losing food assistance, including malnutrition treatment for 650,000 women and children.
LUSAKA - The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) welcomes a contribution of EUR 500,000 from the Government of Finland to strengthen Zambia¡¯s national school meals programme. The one-year initiative will enhance the nutrition of over 34,000 learners in thirty-three schools across Zambia while promoting climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable food systems.
PORT SUDAN, Sudan ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) is urgently calling for unimpeded access to immediately preposition food assistance across key locations in Sudan, as deliberate obstruction by parties on the ground and the approaching rainy season threaten to render vast areas of the country inaccessible by road. Without swift action, Â鶹ÊÓƵ warns that millions of vulnerable people could be cut off from life-saving aid, placing fragile humanitarian gains at serious risk.
JUBA, South Sudan ¨C Vulnerable families in the northeast of South Sudan are at a critical tipping point as conflict escalates and hunger nears record levels, the United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) warned today.
The three-year initiative is backed by US$40 million in co-financing from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Novo Nordisk Foundation and the Grundfos Foundation.
LILONGWE, Malawi ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) welcomes a contribution of €4 million from the Government of Italy to expand the Home-Grown School Feeding programme and support climate-smart agriculture and sustainable school meals by connecting schools with local farmers in Malawi¡¯s Chikwawa District.
MANDALAY, Myanmar ¨C Within 48 hours of the powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, the United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) began emergency food distributions to affected communities. Â鶹ÊÓƵ has so far reached over 24,000 earthquake survivors in four areas, Mandalay, Naypyitaw, Sagaing and Shan, and is scaling up efforts to assist 850,000 affected people.
CONAKRY, Guinea - The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) welcomes a US$4 million contribution from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to develop a rice value chain, enabling communities to access nutritious food, become self-sufficient and resilient to weather-related shocks in Guinea.
ROME ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) warned today that 58 million people risk losing life-saving assistance in the agency¡¯s 28 most critical crisis response operations unless new funding is received urgently.
2.5m more people have been pushed into acute food insecurity, as UN agencies grapple with increasing needs
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo ¨C The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) today announced that new data from the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis reveals the highest number ever recorded of acutely food insecure populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
GAZA, Palestine ¨C Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are again at risk of severe hunger and malnutrition as humanitarian food stocks in the Strip dwindle and borders remain closed to aid. Meanwhile, the expansion of military activity in Gaza is severely disrupting food assistance operations and putting the lives of aid workers at risk every day.
ROME ¨C As global leaders and experts convene in Paris for the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit, the UN Â鶹ÊÓƵ is calling for greater focus and action to prevent wasting - the deadliest form of malnutrition - before its life-threatening impacts are felt in children. Action before malnutrition takes hold is crucial.
DAKAR ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) today announced Christian Ab¨¦gan, -renowned culinary expert, author and TV Host, as its new Chef Advocate for food security, nutrition and sustainable food systems in West and Central Africa.
LUANDA, Angola ¡ª The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) welcomes a contribution of US$ 2 million from the Government of Japan to support over 27,000 people affected by drought in southern Angola. This funding will enhance the food and water security while strengthening the resilience of smallholder farmers through Japanese agricultural technology innovations.
BUJUMBURA, Burundi ¨C The UN Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) has rapidly mobilized additional assistance in Burundi to support the large influx of families fleeing violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The sharp increase in refugees in need of aid has placed a significant strain on Â鶹ÊÓƵ food assistance programmes in Burundi.
YANGON, Myanmar ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) today warned that more than one million people in Myanmar will be cut off from Â鶹ÊÓƵ¡¯s lifesaving food assistance starting in April due to critical funding shortfalls. These cuts come just as increased conflict, displacement and access restrictions are already sharply driving up food aid needs.
LILONGWE, Malawi ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ), in collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and with support from the Government of Iceland, has expanded the Home-Grown School Meals (HGSM) programme to Nkhotakota district, Malawi.
CAIRO, Egypt ¨C The Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade (MOSIT), the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP), and the National Nutrition Institute (NNI), with support from the United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) in Egypt, have launched today the National Flour Fortification Programme.
PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI ¨C The United Nations Â鶹ÊÓƵ (Â鶹ÊÓƵ) and Japan will provide locally sourced school meals to close to 18,000 children across 80 schools in the Ouest department in 2025 and 2026, ensuring essential nutritional support and enhancing education.
