WFP receives Italian aid for South Sudanese refugees

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received a contribution of $545,000 from the Italian government to support the needs of South Sudanese who fled the war in their country and sought refuge in Sudan.

The WFP will use the contribution to provide food assistance for nearly three months to more than 13,000 South Sudanese in two localities in South Kordofan, the UN food aid agency announced in a statement on Tuesday. The WFP’s food baskets include sorghum, a food staple in Sudan, as well as oil and salt.

“Italy is always on the frontline in supporting the vulnerable people here in Sudan,” said Fabrizio Lobasso, Italian Ambassador to Sudan. “Our mission is to help people in need and the WFP has proven to be our reliable partner in doing so over the last years.”

The WFP is currently assisting more than 100,000 South Sudanese surviving in the states of South Kordofan, North Kordofan, West Kordofan, and White Nile in Sudan.

WFP Representative and Country Director Adnan Khan thanked the Italian government and said: “Italy has been exceptional in its support to our efforts in eastern and central Sudan. With this particular contribution, we will be able to expand the reach of our assistance to the South Sudanese who have fled conflict in their country and entered Sudan.”

Sudan remains one of the WFP’s largest and most complex operations, providing food assistance to people suffering from conflict, displacement, and chronic under-nourishment in Darfur, along with vulnerable groups in eastern Sudan and border areas to the south.

For the first half of the year, the WFP responded to the food security and nutritional needs of 3.7 million people including 2.8 million vulnerable people in the conflict-affected region of Darfur, the press release reads. From July, the WFP will assist 2.3 million people including 1.8 million displaced.

The UN food aid agency aims to reach all of them with life-saving food assistance and nutrition programmes, as well as recovery and resilience-building activities that help communities to become self-reliant.