N'djamena — The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of approximately US$ 7.6 million (JPY 1.1billion) from the Government of Japan to support the Chadian Government emergency response to crisis-affected communities in Chad. This new funding will enable WFP to continue providing lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to 92,100 people among the most vulnerable refugees, returnees, internally displaced persons, and host communities. The food commodities especially cereals and iodized salt will be purchased locally to increase farmers' incomes and contribute to stimulating the local economy in Chad.
"We are grateful to the people of Japan for this timely response to the growing needs of refugees, asylum seekers, and crisis-affected Chadians," said Pierre Honnorat, WFP's Representative and Country Director in Chad. "At this critical time when needs are skyrocketing and funding to respond is at an all-time low, Japan's contribution will be a relief for those most exposed to hunger among the crisis-affected communities."
In addition to refugees and asylum seekers, WFP will provide specialized nutritious food to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children under two years old for the prevention and treatment of moderate acute malnutrition. WFP will also provide nutritious school meals to crisis-affected children so that they can attend school and concentrate on their studies. Vulnerable food insecure people among the Chadian population will also be provided with assistance during the lean season when hunger bites the most with many families struggling to meet their basic food needs.
In Chad, 3.4 million women, men, and children are projected to face acute hunger during the 2024 June-August lean season according to the March 2024 Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis. This represents a 34 percent increase compared to the November 2023 projections, and 240 percent rise since 2020.
The food security situation is particularly worrying in the eastern regions where refugees continue to arrive in Chad. Over 570,000 refugees and 164,000 returnees have crossed the Chadian border since the beginning of the Sudan crisis in April 2023, and 310,000 more returnees and refugees are expected by the end of the year. The country is now home to over one million refugees, making it host to one of the largest and fastest-growing refugee populations in Africa.
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Since 2023, funding constraints have forced WFP to concentrate on immediate needs only, focusing efforts on new Sudanese refugees. For months, a majority of refugees from Cameroon, Central African Republic, Nigeria and internally displaced Chadians have received no assistance at all due to limited funding.
To ensure continued support to crisis-affected people in Chad over the next six months, WFP urgently needs US$ 207 million.
