WFP FACES MAJOR SETBACKS & DEVELOPMENTS IN ITS ABILITY TO DELIVER URGENT AID TO LEBANON , Overnight bombing of the highway north from Beirut to the Syrian border has cut the road in at least three places and reportedly destroyed critical bridges. This could effectively sever the vital humanitarian lifeline between Lebanon and the outside world.
JAPAN HELPS WFP FEED THOUSANDS OF POOR AFGHANS KABUL – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed another major food shipment of 3,900 tonnes of rice from the Government of Japan as part of a larger pledge that includes other food commodities destined to help thousands of Afghans.
WFP CONGRATULATES CELEBRITY PARTNER RACHEL WEISZ ON OSCAR ROME – The United Nations World Food Programme today congratulated Rachel Weisz on winning an Oscar last night for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, for her performance in the movie, The Constant Gardener. “We are very proud that Rachel, who is a committed WFP celebrity partner, has won this most prestigious award.
WFP WELCOMES APPOINTMENT OF JOSETTE SHEERAN AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROME – After full consultation with the World Food Programme Executive Board at a special session attended by all its 36 members and most other member states, the President of the Board, Ambassador Mirza Qamar Beg of Pakistan, announced that the UN Secretary-General and FAO Director-General intend to appoint Josette Sheeran
WFP NEEDS STEADY DONOR FUNDING TO BOLSTER LIVES AND PEACE IN SUDAN KHARTOUM – UN World Food Programme Executive Director James Morris warned today that a shortage of steady and timely funding for food aid to Sudan risked increasing malnutrition among millions of people and threatened pacts to end conflicts in the South and western region of Darfur.
MORE MISERY IN KENYA: WFP FORCED TO CUT FOOD RATIONS TO REFUGEES NAIROBI – As a result of insufficient funding, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been forced to reduce food aid rations to some 230,000 Somali and Sudanese refugees living in two camps in remote areas in northeast Kenya.
TANZANIA: URGENT FOOD AID NEEDED FOR HALF A MILLION HIT BY DROUGHT DAR ES SALAAM – The United Nations World Food Programme today urgently appealed for US$16.6 million to feed 565,000 people in Tanzania facing severe hunger because of drought.