ReliefWeb

In Numbers

369,000 people assisted in March 2020

3,580 mt of food distributed

US$ 1.2 million cash-based transfers made

US$ 31.3 million six months (April - September 2020) net funding requirements

Operational Updates

• Response to COVID-19: In March, WFP worked closely with partners in support of the Government of Myanmar’s response to COVID-19. This included taking measures to promote hygiene practices and physical distancing in all ongoing food and nutrition activities, providing food assistance to quarantine sites for some 5,000 returnees in Yangon and procuring basic medical equipment. Based on demand, WFP is mobilizing to provide common logistics services support to the UN and humanitarian community, including supply chain coordination and an aviation service for passengers and cargo (Please refer to the latest External Situation Report for further details).

• Rakhine and Chin: As a result of the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar military and ethnic armed group the Arakan Army, a months-long cut-off of trade and supply routes to Paletwa and Samee towns in southern Chin State have left tens of thousands of people food-insecure. Following persistent efforts and with the support of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Chin State Government, WFP successfully delivered emergency food assistance to 2,600 displaced people in Samee. Meanwhile, WFP is trying to reach cut-off communities in Paletwa.

Across Rakhine, despite a volatile security situation,
WFP reached 16,300 newly displaced people. In northern Rakhine, WFP assisted 97,600 conflictaffected people in March with emergency food and nutrition assistance, including 3,100 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and 18,100 children aged 6-59 months in Buthidaung and Maungdaw townships. In central Rakhine, WFP provided 130,800 food-insecure people with food and cash assistance, including 19,600 children aged 6-59 months and 4,200 PLW who received fortified blended food.

• Kachin: WFP assisted 44,500 displaced people with cash-based transfers, in addition to providing fortified blended food to 1,200 children aged 6-23 months and 1,830 PLW. WFP also organised a workshop to reflect on good practices and lessons learned on the mobile cash transfers project in 39 camps in Myitkyina and Waing Maw townships. If the situation allows, WFP plans to provide digital literacy training to familiarize beneficiaries with the technology to receive SMS notifications from WFP and subsequent cash withdrawals.

• Shan: WFP distributed food and cash to 16,500 displaced people across northern Shan State. WFP’s monthly nutrition assistance benefited 2,650 children aged 6-23 months and 1,400 PLW.