Unites Nation
Humanitarian Aid
2 January 2024
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A Rohingya refugee from Myanmar receives support from the UN in Bhasan Char in Bangladesh. © WFP/Saikat Mojumder
Critical food aid support is to be stepped up for many hundreds of thousands of Myanmar refugees sheltering in neighbouring Bangladesh, the UN World Food Programme, WFP, announced on Tuesday.
“The entire Rohingya population” from Myanmar will benefit, according to the UN agency, which increased the value of its monthly food voucher from $8 to $10 per person on 1 January.
Until early last year vouchers were worth $12 but WFP was forced to reduce their value in March to $10 because of funding gaps. A further reduction to $8 was implemented in June.
Last year was marked by a sharp rise in the number of refugees struggling to eat a decent meal, to nine in 10 by last November.
WFP thanked donors for their support and said that it will also gradually begin distribution of fortified rice to the Rohingya population, starting in one or two camps and eventually extending to all camps in Cox’s Bazar complex and in Bhasan Char island.
“The year 2023 has been a tumultuous one for the Rohingya in Bangladesh, who lived through multiple fire outbreaks, cyclones, and, for the first time, ration cuts,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh.
'Rapid deterioration'
“The rapid deterioration of the food and nutrition situation in the camps is extremely worrying. Through all this, the donor community stood with the Rohingya – it's all thanks to its generous contributions we can now boost the voucher value and add locally fortified rice to WFP’s food assistance package.”
Mr. Scapelli said the agency remains fully committed to supporting the mostly-Muslim minority Rohingya, many of whom fled their native Rakhine State in northern Myanmar following a brutal military campaign in August 2017.
“We are immensely grateful to all our donors for their unwavering support, and we count on them to step up even further in 2024 to ensure we can provide the Rohingya with a full and nutritious ration”, he added.
Last year was marked by a sharp rise in the number of refugees struggling to eat a decent meal, to nine in 10 by last November.
WFP thanked donors for their support and said that it will also gradually begin distribution of fortified rice to the Rohingya population, starting in one or two camps and eventually extending to all camps in Cox’s Bazar complex and in Bhasan Char island.
“The year 2023 has been a tumultuous one for the Rohingya in Bangladesh, who lived through multiple fire outbreaks, cyclones, and, for the first time, ration cuts,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh.
'Rapid deterioration'
“The rapid deterioration of the food and nutrition situation in the camps is extremely worrying. Through all this, the donor community stood with the Rohingya – it's all thanks to its generous contributions we can now boost the voucher value and add locally fortified rice to WFP’s food assistance package.”
Mr. Scapelli said the agency remains fully committed to supporting the mostly-Muslim minority Rohingya, many of whom fled their native Rakhine State in northern Myanmar following a brutal military campaign in August 2017.
“We are immensely grateful to all our donors for their unwavering support, and we count on them to step up even further in 2024 to ensure we can provide the Rohingya with a full and nutritious ration”, he added.
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