WFP gets $5.4 million fund from Japan for Rohingyas
The World Food Programme (WFP) has received a new contribution of $5.4 million from the government of Japan.
A handover ceremony was held today in Dhaka with the participation of Japan Ambassador IWAMA Kiminori, and WFP Bangladesh Country Director Dom Scalpelli, reads a press release.
"We are pleased to have decided to provide $5.4 million in life-saving food assistance to the displaced Rohingya people through WFP, building on the $4.4 million provided in June last year. This contribution underscores Japan's unwavering commitment to humanitarian aid and our dedication to addressing hunger and malnutrition," said Ambassador IWAMA of Japan.
In 2023, dwindling donour funding forced WFP to reduce the monthly food entitlement for the entire Rohingya population in Cox's Bazar from $12 per person per month to $10 in March, then to $8 in June.
The latest monitoring by WFP and humanitarian partners has shown that the situation in the camps has deteriorated significantly, with a staggering 90% of the population lacking access to an adequate diet and over 15% of young children suffering from malnutrition.
"We are deeply grateful for Japan's latest funding and their steadfast support over the years," said WFP Country Director Scalpelli.
WFP needs another $38 million in funding to fully restore the ration – now $12.5 per person per month, with fortified rice added – for the remainder of the year.