WFP to end main assistance program in war-torn Syria
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The World Food Program (WFP) has announced that it will end its primary aid program in Syria in January due to lack of funding.
This decision comes at a time when more than 12 million people in the war-torn country struggle to obtain regular access to sufficient food, with three million of whom suffering from acute food insecurity, according to the United Nations.
In July, the WFP revealed that it had to cut assistance to nearly half of the 5.5 million Syrians it had been supporting due to financial constraints. The agency further reduced cash aid to Syrian refugees in Jordan a month later.
In mid-September, the WFP said that funding cuts have forced it to significantly reduce food assistance in several operations, including Syria.
The WFP’s Monday statement emphasized that these cuts are being made at a time when food insecurity in Syria is reaching its most dire levels, with millions of people expected to be affected.
While the WFP plans to maintain smaller aid initiatives, such as a school meals program and projects aimed at rehabilitating Syria’s irrigation systems and bakeries, the reduction in their main assistance program raises concerns about the worsening food crisis in the country.
Major humanitarian organizations, including the WFP, had initially intensified their support for Syrians when the uprising turned into a civil war in 2011. However, shrinking budgets have hindered their efforts. In addition, the recent Hamas-Israel conflict has diverted attention and resources away from Syria.
Although major fighting in Syria has abated, the country’s humanitarian crisis continues to deteriorate, exacerbated by the Syrian pound’s record low against the U.S. dollar.