AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE United States Agency for International Development (USAID) yesterday handed a food consignment and other cash contribution all of which are valued at $8 million (over 18bn/-) to the United Nations food relief agency, the World Food Programme (WFP) as food relief for refugees living in Tanzania.
The US Embassy said in a statement in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the consignment and the cash donation were handed to WFP at the Tanzania Ports Authority (TPA) premises as critical food assistance for refugees living in Nduta, Mtendeli and Nyarugusu camps in Kigoma region.
Sarah Gordon-Gibson, the WFP country representative expressed gratitude to US generosity and continued support. “This support reflects US commitment to continue assisting nearly 220,000 Burundian and Congolese refugees who solely rely on WFP’s food assistance,” she stated.
Part of the donation will be used to procure food locally from smallholder farmers and hence it represents a good investment in the local economy, she said.
US Ambassador Donald Wright officiated at the ceremony, also attended by Nsato Mssanzya, a senior official of the refugees department in the Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as TPA Director General Elihuruma Lema.
USAID provides direct food assistance and also funds WFP to provide emergency food supplies to refugees and asylum-seekers in the camps, where procuring locally and regionally sourced commoditiesis included in the funding arrangements.
USAID is the largest donor to the WFP’s work to avail food supplies to refugee camps in Tanzania, the statement noted, indicating that the $8m contribution includes $6m in cash for commodity procurement in the local market, and $2m towards yellow split peas supplies, already procured and received at the port.
WFP distributes monthly rations consisting of cereal, pulses, salt, vegetable oil and fortified maize meal, including specialised nutritious foods for vulnerable pregnant women and nursing mothers, along with children under five.
Ambassador Wright said at the ceremony that the US government was proud of the life-saving impact the contribution will have in vulnerable communities.
“The U.S. government supports the protection of refugees, asylum seekers, conflict victims, stateless persons and vulnerable migrants in Tanzania and around the world. We recognize Tanzania’s long-standing efforts as a host country to refugees and asylum seekers, and strongly encourage the Government of Tanzania to ensure that the humanitarian needs of all vulnerable migrants in Tanzania are met,” he stated.
WFP won the Nobel Peace Prize last year as the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change, the statement added..
