Japan donates to WFP as Rohingya ration restores to $10

Nurul Islam Hasib/ Dhaka tribune

Publish : 22 Feb 2024, 09:57 PMUpdate: 22 Feb 2024, 09:57 PM

Japan has come up with additional funding to the World FoodProgram (WFP) as the UN agency has been grappling to provide food aid.

Ambassador Iwama Kiminori handed over a cheque of newcontribution of $5.4 million from Japan at a ceremony in Dhaka on Thursday toWFP Bangladesh Country Director Dom Scalpelli.

This funding will enable WFP to continue providinglife-saving food assistance and bolstering disaster risk reduction initiativesfor the Rohingya refugees, the UN agency said.

In 2023, dwindling donor funding forced WFP to reduce the monthlyfood entitlement for the entire Rohingya population in Cox’s Bazar from $12 perperson per month to $10 in March, then to US$8 in June.

Thanks to the commitment of the donor community, starting 1January, WFP says it has partially restored the ration to $10 per person permonth and added locally fortified rice into the assistance package for thefirst time.

"We are pleased to have decided to provide $5.4 millionin life-saving food assistance to the displaced Rohingya people through WFP,building on the $4.4 million provided in June last year,” the ambassador wasquoted as saying in a joint statement.

“This contribution underscores Japan's unwavering commitmentto humanitarian aid and our dedication to addressing hunger and malnutrition.By supporting the Rohingya community, we alleviate immediate suffering andcontribute to the broader goal of fostering stability and peace in the region”.

The latest monitoring by WFP and humanitarian partners has shown that thesituation in the camps has deteriorated significantly, with a staggering 90percent of the population lacking access to an adequate diet and over 15percent of young children suffering from malnutrition, the WFP said.

“More worrying still is the increasing violence andinsecurity in the camps, as well as human trafficking.”

UNHCR reported that nearly 4,500 Rohingya refugees embarkedon deadly sea journeys in 2023 – a significant increase from previous years.

The new Japanese donation will also be used to support thehost community in Cox’s Bazar in building their resilience against climateshocks.

“We are deeply grateful for Japan's latest funding and theirsteadfast support over the years," said WFP Country Director Scalpelli.

“While we are encouraged by the partial increase of therations, the escalating hunger and malnutrition rates in the camps highlightthe urgent need to fully restore the ration. We rely on Japan and the rest ofthe donor community to continue their vital support, ensuring that we can meet,at least, the Rohingya’s basic food and nutrition needs until they can berepatriated safely.”

WFP needs another $38 million in funding to fully restorethe ration – now $12.5 per person per month, with fortified rice added – forthe remainder of the year.