US, ECHO and Canada provide aid to WFP

Kathmandu, February 14: With $ 1.8 million fresh contribution from the United States to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), there are enough resources to feed exiled Bhutanese until April.

In a statement issued Tuesday, WFP said the donation of 2,640 metric tons of commodities such as rice, lentils, chickpeas, and vegetable oil worth $ 1.8 million from the USAID, will provide up to two months of ration for the exiled Bhutanese.

Richard Ragan, the WFP Country Representative in Nepal, said this assistance – together with US$1.5 million pledge from the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and US$ 438,596 contribution from the Canadian government – will enable WFP to provide food till April. ECHO and Canada were the first ones to pledge donations for the year 2007.  "We have got enough food till the end of April," said Ragan.

WFP had warned in December that exiled Bhutanese would go hungry unless there was immediate infusion of funds from the international community. "We don't have any money now," Ragan had said. "What we need is that the government make it a priority issue."

After receiving donation from the US, Ragan said in the statement, this donation could not have come at a more critical time. "This year, WFP is in a situation where each month, we don't know if we will have the funds to ensure adequate food supplies," said Ragan. "We appreciate how quickly and generously the US responded to our call for support to provide food aid."

The statement has quoted US Ambassador to Nepal James F Moriarty as saying that the US was happy to help WFP help the exiled Bhutanese "in their hour of need." "This assistance reflects the generosity of the American people and their commitment to help others around the world," said Moriarty.

When there is lack of donation from the international community, WFP runs its activities by internal lending. WFP needs about $ 10.5 million each year to feed exiled Bhutanese. Bhutan News Service