The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) made an urgent appeal on Wednesday for $4,2-million in food aid for 118 000 refugees in Ethiopia over the next six months.
An additional 8 500 tonnes of cereals, vegetable oil, pulses, salt and blended foods were urgently needed to feed the refugees.
More than 106 000 refugees are from Sudan and the remaining from Somalia and Eritrea, the WFP said. It will otherwise be forced to reduce rations by 30% from January and the limited amount of cereal stocks will run out by April.
”When rations are reduced, the health of beneficiaries deteriorates; young children, women and the elderly in particular, become vulnerable to malaria,” said Georgia Shaver, WFP director for Ethiopia, adding that in the event of epidemics, mortality rates among the refugees will be much higher.
The WFP said the lack of food could delay the voluntary repatriation of 6 500 Somali refugees, now in eastern Ethiopia.
So far, it has received $3,4-million of the $26,7-million needed for the refugees in Ethiopia from January until 2006.
The WFP said contributions have been received from the United States with $2,5-million, Switzerland with $76 792, and $752 000 from multilateral funds. — Sapa-DPA