Amman, Jordan
Reuters
Food assistance across Syria will end in January due to a funding crunch that had already curtailed its aid program in the war devastated country, the World Food Programme said on Monday.
The organisation said a record level of humanitarian needs globally meant its donors are unable to provide the same level of support.
A convoy of trucks carrying aid from UN World Food Programme, following a deadly earthquake, enters Bab al-Hawa crossing, Syria on 20th February, 2023. PICTURE: Reuters/Mahmoud Hassano/File photo
In September, WFP officials had warned that it required $US134 million to provide food assistance for the next six months to combat hunger and malnutrition in 3.2 million people in Syria. In previous years, the organisation had fed 5.5 million.
The UN food body says over 12 million Syrians were in the grip of hunger in a country that had already significantly cut aid in recent years.
The WFP however said it would continue to support families affected by natural disasters through smaller programs alongside maintaining some child nutrition and livelihood support schemes for farmers.
Over the last 10 years, WFP said it had spent $US3 billion on delivering 4.8 million metric tons of food and over $US300 million in cash-based assistance and $US800 million in goods and services.
