WFP Warns Of Ethiopia's Rising Hunger Due To Lack Of Funding

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) GENEVA, April 22 (KUNA) -- The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia stating that more than 10 million people are suffering from acute food insecurity including three million displaced persons due to a severe lack of funding.
Speaking from Addis Ababa during a press conference in Geneva (WFP) Country Director in Ethiopia Zlatan Milisic said that around 4.4 million pregnant women and young children are in urgent need of treatment for malnutrition while child-wasting rates have exceeded the 15 percent emergency threshold in several regions of Ethiopia.
Milisic warned of deepening humanitarian crisis especially as refugees continue to flow in from neighboring countries due to worsening security conditions particularly in South Sudan.
He described the situation as "a deadly combination of conflict climate shocks economic instability and mass displacement."
Milisic noted that WFP was forced to reduce food rations by 60 percent for some 800,000 refugees over the past 18 months and cut 80 percent of rations for displaced persons and those in need within Ethiopia over the past nine months.
He warned that food and cash assistance could come to a complete halt by June unless sufficient funding is secured.
In addition, the UN agency also had to suspend malnutrition treatment services for some 650,000 women and children this week due to depleted food stocks and lack of financial support warning that more than 3.6 million people risk losing access to humanitarian aid in the coming weeks.
Milisic called on the international community to take urgent action and provide 222 million dollars before September to ensure the continuity of humanitarian operations.
In response to questions from journalists Milisic clarified that WFP's programs in Ethiopia are exempt from the recent US funding cuts, although necessary funds are still being implemented and finalized. (end)
amk

MENAFN22042025000071011013ID1109457436