The organization announced on Tuesday that the funds for two and a half million needy Syrians would be reduced. The WFP therefore lacks US$ 180 million to maintain the current aid until the end of the year. According to the information, 5.5 million people are dependent on support from the UN program. The international community wants to mobilize further financial support for the country at its seventh donor conference on Thursday.
A civil war has been raging in Syria since 2011, which has claimed more than 350,000 lives. 13 million people were displaced within Syria or fled to other countries. The devastating earthquakes in February further aggravated the situation.
The organization warned that the aid from the WFP was already not enough for many Syrians. Food has already been gradually reduced to half of the original ration. According to the information, the reason for this is the sharp rise in the cost of food and fuel. There is also a severe economic crisis in the country. “Further cuts in ration size are impossible. Our only solution is to reduce the number of recipients,” said WFP Syria Country Director Kenn Crossley.
The number of malnourished people in the country is higher than ever. A quarter of all pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as well as many children are affected. The UN organization fears that child labor, child marriages and debt could increase further as a result of the aid cuts.
