Germany, Sweden Boost Hunger Relief To 1.4Mln Refugees In Uganda - World Food Program

Germany and Sweden have stepped in to provide $5.6 million in additional funding to pay for food supplies for 1.4 million refugees from other African countries currently living in Uganda, the UN World Food Program (WFP) announced on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2021) Germany and Sweden have stepped in to provide $5.6 million in additional funding to pay for food supplies for 1.4 million refugees from other African countries currently living in Uganda, the UN World Food Program (WFP) announced on Thursday.

"The WFP today commended Sweden and the Federal Republic of Germany for contributions to food and cash support for 1.4 million refugees in Uganda at a time when a surge of COVID-19 and its economic impact are threatening lives and livelihoods across the country," the organization said in a news release.

The WFP noted that Uganda has one of the world's most progressive policies for harboring refugees from other nations and currently is home to one of the largest refugee populations in the world. Sweden contributed $1.

2 million and Germany $4.4 million for 2021 to 2023 in the relief program, it said.

"We appreciate the Federal Republic of Germany and Sweden for stepping forward to ensure Uganda continues to support refugees to survive during this difficult pandemic. We cannot, however, play down the threat of hunger that still looms over refugees," WFP Uganda Country Director El-Khidir Daloum said.

Refugees living in settlements receive monthly in-kind food assistance consisting of maize, beans, fortified oil and salt or cash to buy food, which injects money into local economies, the WFP also said.

Refugees in Uganda currently receive 60 percent of a full ration per month due to reduced funding. The WFP needs $105 million this year for refugees but has received only 24 percent so far, it added.