DHAKA, Sept 12, 2019 (BSS) – The European Union (EU) provided €2 million to help
the World Food Programme (WFP) sustain lifesaving food assistance to Rohingyas,
addressing high rates of malnutrition among children and mothers, while protecting
them from the monsoon season risks.
“Two years on since the biggest influx of the Rohingyas to Bangladesh, the situation
in the camps in Cox’s Bazar remains critical,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Representative
and Country Director in Bangladesh, according to a press release received here today.
“Among the nearly 1 million refugees, 80 per cent of them rely entirely on WFP’s
food assistance. This timely funding from the EU will help us support the most
vulnerable children and women. Part of it will also go towards our disaster
preparedness work in the camps,” said Richard Ragan.
The Rohingyas are facing heightened risks during the current monsoon season.
Camps in Cox’s Bazar have already been flooded and threatened with landslides. The
new EU contribution will help WFP ensure that refugee needs are met during this
challenging time.
In 2018, the EU provided EUR 12 million to help WFP respond to the urgent needs of
the most vulnerable Rohingya refugees, playing a major role in enabling WFP’s
continuing transition from in-kind food distribution to an electronic voucher system.
Half of all refugees now receive food assistance through e-vouchers and by early next
year all refugees will receive food this way. With a prepaid WFP Assistance Card,
families can now choose from a wide variety of nutritious food available at designated
e-voucher shops in the camps.
“Through our collective efforts, we have saved many lives since the Rohingya crisis
began over two years ago,” said Christos Stylianides, the EU Commissioner for
Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management.