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Germany Helps WFP Strengthen Food Security Through Vouchers In Sudan

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KHARTOUM – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a generous contribution of €1 million (US$2.3 million) from Germany towards its operations which plans to provide assistance to more than 700,000 people in Darfur and the eastern and central regions through vouchers during 2013.

“With this new German contribution to WFP, the German government wishes to underline its continued support to the vulnerable populations in the conflict affected areas of Sudan.” the German Ambassador to Sudan, Rolf Welberts declared.

WFP launched its voucher programme in Sudan in 2009, with the aim of supporting families most in need of food assistance as well as boosting the local economy and markets. The vouchers allow families to redeem more than 10 food items at participating local stores. These items include locally preferred food items such millet and groundnut oil that cannot be provided in WFP’s traditional food basket.

"We are grateful to the Government of Germany for its continued support to WFP. This contribution not only strengthens WFP's important partnership with Germany in protecting Sudan's most vulnerable people, but also allows us to carry out activities that will promote long-term food security,” said WFP Sudan Country Director Adnan Khan.

WFP is implementing voucher assistance in two camps for internally displaced people as well as in host communities in North Darfur, one camp in South Darfur and one camp in West Darfur. In central and eastern Sudan, WFP is providing vouchers in the states of Kassala and North Kordofan.

WFP is planning to expand its voucher programme to various locations in the Darfur states and in central and eastern Sudan in 2014.

“The conflict in Darfur has continued for 10 years; we are determined to maintain our assistance to the region’s people to meet their immediate food needs. At the same time we are seeking innovative ways of promoting long-term food security,” Adnan Khan said. “Our vouchers programme is a prime example of such innovation.”

Sudan remains one of WFP’s largest and most complex emergencies, with the provision of food assistance to more than 3.9 million people affected by conflict, displacement and chronic under-nourishment in Darfur, in the east and in the border areas to the south.

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Last year, WFP reached more than 97 million people in 80 countries with food assistance.

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For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
Abdulaziz Abdulmomin, WFP/ Khartoum, Mob. +249912167055
Katharina Weltecke, WFP/Berlin, +49 (0)30 206 149-29, Mob. +49 (0)172 4105677