Penge fra USA redder maduddeling til Pakistans ofre frem til Nytår

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Danske NGOer væltede sig i Pakistan-omtale, da de skulle samle penge ind – nu er der næsten intet at finde om landet på organisationernes websites, men behovet for hjælp er stadig akut

Fresh funds enable UN to continue aiding flood-affected Pakistanis – In some areas flood waters could remain for another six months

ROME, 8 November 2010: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said Monday it has received a 90 million US dollar donation from the United States which, combined with other recent contributions, will help prevent a reduction in food aid to millions of people affected by the recent catastrophic floods in Pakistan.

– With these funds behind us, we can ensure an uninterrupted flow of food assistance to the hungriest and the most vulnerable in Pakistan, especially young children, said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran.

– This donation comes at a critical time as WFP is transitioning from (går over fra) emergency food distributions, towards helping communities rebuild the lives they lost before the floods, she said.

The US contribution will be used to provide food assistance to more than 7 million flood-affected people, according to WFP. It is divided equally into 45 million in cash as well as in-kind food aid worth 45 million consisting of wheat flour, vegetable oil and dried peas (ærter).

– This donation, along with others, will buy us more time, Ms. Sheeran said, adding:

– We had genuine concerns that we would have to cut rations for hungry people if we could not mobilise more funds. With this wave of support, we now have some breathing space at least until the New Year.

WFP is providing life-saving rations to some 1,7 million people who cannot return to inundated (ødelagte) villages in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

More than 5 million people who have already gone back home are also receiving rations and seeds from the Government and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) so that they can plant and have an harvest in April.

WFP is also providing food as compensation for work to rebuild infrastructure that was damaged by the floods.

The health and nutritional needs of young children is a priority and the agency is supplying highly nutritious ready-to-eat supplementary food for youngsters.

WFP has been pre-positioning food supplies in northern areas ahead of the cold winter months when snow can cut off access to communities.

Kilde: FN Nyhedstjeneste