The World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday that without immediate funding, it will be forced to end its support to 150,000 people uprooted by violence in the Central African Republic.
Felix Gomez, WFP Country Director for CAR, said funding shortages had resulted in WFP only being able to help under half of the people it had aimed to reach.
He added that the UN food agency supplied only half the amount of food it had intended to provide.
According to him, the agency urgently needs 21.5 million dollars to provide life-saving aid in the country through to June 2017.
“Due to a lack of funding, WFP is running a risk of soon needing to halt its aid to 150,000 people in crisis-torn Central African Republic (CAR) who have been displaced by violence.
“This year, WFP aimed to support some one million people but only 400,000 received assistance due to funding constraints.
“Rations have been halved and school meal distributions over the past two months have fallen short of intended goals.
“Throughout December, thousands of displaced people have been living off of a quarter of a standard food ration. Our food stocks are at their lowest,” Gomez said.
He announced that without further funding, WFP would be forced to make additional cuts to the food it could provide in January, and that by February, distributions would be suspended altogether.
“The food distributed by WFP represents a lifeline for people who have lost everything.
“Suspending assistance will have a dramatic impact on the lives of already internally displaced people and refugees, who rely on our food distributions to feed themselves and their families.
“Without additional assistance, host communities will take on an unbearable burden, which could fuel tension and create security risks.
“WFP needs 21.5 million dollars in order to provide assistance to 150,000 people through June 2017,” Gomez said.
Meanwhile, the UN has expressed concern at the presence of the 3R group in CAR, which reportedly carried out human rights violations in the country.
Farhan Haq, spokesman for the UN Secretary-General, at a press briefing, said the Human Rights Watch reported on the presence of the 3R group in the North-West part of the country.
“We remain concerned by the violence and numerous human rights violations committed by the armed group.
“Since January 2016, the UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has conducted several human rights investigations in Koui and Bocaranga areas and reported on the violations.
“The mission confirmed the killings of 13 civilians, the rape of seven women and documented allegations of killings and rapes of more than 100 people.
“The Mission also confirmed the burning of villages by 3R during the reporting period,” Haq said.
He explained that MINUSCA deployed peacekeepers to Koui to protect civilians while some civilians took refuge near the MINUSCA premises.
He said the Mission also helped to organise several joint visits with the national authorities in June and December 2016 and has activated its nearby field offices and the community liaison network to engage with local population, leaders and NGOs in order to improve protection efforts through proactive measures.
“On the political level, the 3R group is participating in formal discussions related to the national disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration framework,” the spokesman said. (NAN)