Timely flexible funding enables WFP to continue supporting drought-affected Somalis with lifesaving food assistance | World Food Programme

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MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) thanks the Governments of Belgium, Canada, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar and Switzerland for USD 18.7 million in vital flexible funding for emergency food aid in Somalia. This will enable WFP to continue supporting thousands of drought-affected Somalis with lifesaving food assistance through July. Earlier this year, WFP faced a serious funding shortfall that threatened to halt its humanitarian operations in Somalia in April. Somalia is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by drought, insecurity, displacement, and limited humanitarian assistance. Around 6.5 million people - or a third of the population - are facing crisis levels of hunger or worse (IPC3+), including more than 2 million people facing emergency levels of hunger (IPC4). "The situation is extremely dire. Millions, especially children and mothers, are going hungry every night as families run out of food," said Hameed Nuru, WFP's Representative and Country Director in Somalia. "Flexible contributions from our partners enable us to quickly deliver lifesaving food assistance for those most in need. But without immediate, scaled-up funding, this temporary lifeline will run out, and many more people will be left without assistance." Flexible funding allows WFP to determine where and how resources are used. It gives WFP the flexibility it needs to respond quickly to unparalleled needs and multiple large-scale hunger emergencies across the world. It also allows WFP to fund neglected crises and deliver vital food assistance to those most in need. This flexible funding will help WFP to provide lifesaving food assistance to half a million people in April. However, despite this generous support, WFP is reaching less than 10 percent of Somalis in need of humanitarian assistance. WFP urgently requires USD 131 million to continue supporting the most food insecure people in Somalia with emergency food and nutrition