| Date: 01/05/2012 Time: 02:29:00 PM |
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said
on Tuesday that recent fighting at South Sudan's northern border is
threatening to push more people of the region into hunger.
"The food security situation in the border states was already precarious,"
said WFP South Sudan Country Director Chris Nikoi in a statment distributed by
the OCHA office in Geneva.
"Now the border clashes threaten to displace more people and disrupt
already fragile livelihoods."
WFP is assisting a growing number of people affected by conflict in the
border region. Activities include: In the past week, WFP has assisted around 2,
000 newly arrived refugees at Yida in Unity State, and distributions are
ongoing. Working with partners, WFP has been providing high-energy, fortified
food bars to new arrivals. New arrivals receive a 15-day ration, then on
registration the refugees receive full monthly rations according to the size
of their families. Since the beginning of the month of April, WFP has fed
almost 20,000 refugees in Yida.
WFP is pre-positioning food as the rainy season begins and most roads
become impassable. In Upper Nile and Unity States, WFP has prepositioned 14,
000 metric tons of food, enough for 140,000 people for six months.
WFP is using its logistical expertise to help other humanitarian agencies
overcome the challenges of establishing a humanitarian lifeline for the
affected population. WFP has deployed trucks and two helicopters to deliver
not just food but medical kits, shelter items, fuel and other assistance on
behalf of the humanitarian community, to the remotest corners along South
Sudan's northern border. WFP recently transported people injured in the
fighting to areas where they could access medical assistance.
WFP has increased storage capacity in the border states for food and other
items and has prepositioned mobile storage units in strategic locations to
further increase the capacity if needed.
The Additional WFP assistance includes Support to returnees - who have come
back home to South Sudan from Sudan or elsewhere. Many more are expected to
return this year and Children under 5, pregnant women and nursing mothers who
are suffering from, or vulnerable to, malnutrition.
Vulnerable and severely food-insecure families especially in rural areas.
WFP supports these through school meals and asset-creation projects. In total,
WFP plans to reach 2.7 million people in South Sudan this year under an
Emergency Operation covering the border region and other areas. |