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UN emergency food agency sending rations to war-torn Central African Republic

Just Earth News 20 May 2017, 05:34 pm Print

UN emergency food agency sending rations to war-torn Central African Republic

WFP West Africa

New York, May 19(Just Earth News): The United Nations emergency food agency has started dispatching supplies by air and road to the Central African Republic (CAR), where violence erupted in March and has since claimed the lives of more than 120 people, it was announced on Friday.

“We are moving food stocks by road and air to provide food to all those affected and stave off hunger among already highly vulnerable families,” said Felix Gomez, UN World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director in CAR.

The UN agency wants to reach about 7,200 people displaced by militia violence in Bangassou, in south-eastern CAR, and neighbouring areas.

In addition to food rations, WFP will deliver specialized nutritional food for children two years of age and younger, to fight malnutrition.

WFP has requested $9.9 million to continue to provide aid to CAR, one of the world's poorest countries. So far, half of that amount has been secured.