China on Wednesday granted the World Food Programme (WFP) 10 million U.S. dollars to bolster its humanitarian work in drought-strickenSomalia where more than 6 million people are food insecure.
WFP Country Director Laurent Bukera said the funds will allow the UN food agency todeploy emergency humanitarian assistance to more than 200,000 people.
“This grant will support Somalis and will allow WFP to deploy emergency assistance tomore than 200,000 for probably up to four months assistance,” Bukera said.
China also contributed 2 million U.S. dollars to WFP emergency response last year thathelped it support close to 50,000 children and mothers to address malnutrition in thecountry, Bukera said.
He said WFP has continued to scale up its humanitarian activities in the Horn of Africanation by reaching vulnerable people through its cash-based transfer program.
The Chinese Ambassador to Somalia Qin Jian hoped Somalia will overcome the naturaldisasters and rebuild their home, saying Beijing has long term support for Somalia.
“China and Somalia enjoy long term friendship. The diplomatic ties between brotherlystates began in December in 1960, but relations between the two countries were there sixhundred years ago,” he said, adding China had carried out 89 projects including Benadirhospital, National Theater and Stadium Mogadishu between 1960 and 1991.
Somali Minister of Relief and Disaster Management, Maryam Qasim Ahmed thanked theChinese government for the contribution towards alleviating the drought situation.