THE European Union has recently provided approximately €2.5 million (about 6.78bn/-) in humanitarian aid, to support refugees in Tanzania.
This brings the EU’s contribution to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Tanzania in 2021 to €3.5 million (about 9.49bn/-), according to a statement issued yesterday.
The WFP Country Director and Representative Sarah Gordon-Gibson said the EU contribution along with support from other donors would allow WFP to stretch available resources for refugees and reduce the negative impact of ration reductions on refugees’ food and nutrition security.
“WFP is very grateful to the European Union for the generous contribution to support the food and nutrition needs of refugees. Shortage of funds have led to a reduction in rations provided to refugees since last year,” said Ms Gordon-Gibson.
“The EU is a leading supporter of refugees in Tanzania. We aim to support the government and the UN agencies in finding durable solutions for asylum seekers and refugees, while recognising the urgent food security needs, exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis,” said the Head of the EU Delegation to Tanzania, Ambassador Manfredo Fanti.
This assistance is part of a larger EU support of €12 million (32.53bn/- ) for a regional humanitarian response, providing critical food and protection assistance to refugees in the Great Lakes region, including Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.
The EU’s humanitarian aid funding is made available to WFP so that the latter can provide food and nutritional assistance to refugees in Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli camps in Western Tanzania.
The WFP and other UN agencies continue to work with the governments of Tanzania and Burundi to facilitate the voluntary returns of refugees to their homeland.
At the same time, WFP and other agencies continue to use EU funding to provide essential services to those remaining in the refugee camps.
WFP is reaching nearly 235,000 refugees in the three camps in Kigoma region, according to the statement.