Japan donates rice worth $3.2million to S. Sudan

The government of Japan has donated rice worth 3.2 million US dollar to support WFP’s humanitarian response efforts and school feeding activities in South Sudan.

The Japanese Ambassador to South Sudan Toshio Odagiri, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in South Sudan Mary-Ellen McGroarty signed the humanitarian deal.

The donation is targeting crisis-affected people, including refugees, internally displaced persons, returnees, and vulnerable host populations with lifesaving food and nutrition assistance.

In his remark after the signing ceremony, the Ambassador of Japan to South Sudan said that the humanitarian crisis is escalating in South Sudan.

He cited the reports of rising food insecurity and an influx of over 750,000 refugees and returnees from Sudan.

“The humanitarian situation remains dire and continues to deteriorate due to growing food insecurity and the influx of refugees and returnees from Sudan, whose numbers now exceed 750,000 and is expected to worsen due to floods that are expected to affect up to 3.3 million people throughout the Country, including 1.8 million children,” he said.

WFP Country Director of WFP, Mary Ellen McGroart said the donation will assist 62 thousand people especially those displaced by the intensifying floods across the country

She said that this situation has put a considerable strain on local resources, especially in regions like Renk.

“Today’s (Wednesday), contribution built on that confirmed by the government will enable WFP to be able assist nearly 62 thousand people across the country.

“It will enable us to provide lifesaving food assistance to 37,000 people including the population that are displaced by flooding,” she said.

Mary also said the contributions received will support the delivery of school meals to approximately 25,000 children at enhancing education sector and overall well-being in the country.

“This contribution will allow us to provide school meals to almost 25,000 children in school. School meals education is really the game changer for any country.”

For his part, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Albino Atak said: This (contribution) will focus on helping people who are vulnerable generally, and concentrate on school feeding which very important for us.

“If the education is affected, definitely we will not reach the destination. So, we believe that this contribution will help the people of South Sudan and the schools,” he added.

Meanwhile, Albino the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in partnership with WFP, are working to improve South Sudan’s emergency response system through various projects.