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WFP Head Calls for Urgent Action to Improve Humanitarian Situation in West, Central Africa

CC BY 4.0 / Kaga tau / World Food Programme (WFP) headquarter in Rome
World Food Programme (WFP) headquarter in Rome - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 21.07.2023
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The situation in West and Central Africa is rapidly deteriorating due to the conflict in Sudan, which is exacerbating humanitarian conditions in the region and depriving people of already scarce resources, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain said on Friday.
McCain concluded her visit to Chad, Togo, and Benin on July 21. While in Chad, the WFP chief noted that the country is currently hosting the largest number of migrants in West and South Africa, and that this is negatively affecting the country's food security.
"The global community faces a decision point. We act now and stop Chad from becoming another victim of this crisis that has gripped the region or wait and act when it’s too late," she said.
There are now some 330,000 refugees living on the Chad-Sudan border and to reach all those in need and stabilize the situation in Chad, WFP needs $157 million, which would allow it to assist two million refugees and "vulnerable Chadians," McCain added.
Sudanese Muslim worshippers who fled violence in Khartoum, gather for Eid al-Adha morning prayers on June 28, 2023, in the region of Jazira, south of Khartoum. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 13.07.2023
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After leaving Chad, McCain traveled to Togo and Benin to discuss areas of cooperation, such as School Feeding, one of WFP's initiatives to provide school meals to all children in need. She was very positive about the actions of the Benin government, saying that Benin was a good example of WFP and a national government working together.
"I am impressed by the leadership and commitment of the Government of Benin in promoting a holistic development of children through a government led and owned national school feeding programme," she said.
McCain stressed that urgent action is needed if the world is to prevent the crisis from spiraling out of control.
In mid-April, violent clashes broke out between the regular Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, with the epicenter located in the capital, Khartoum. The parties have since introduced a number of temporary nationwide ceasefires, but the conflict has not been settled yet. Hundreds of people have been killed and nearly 3 million have been displaced by the ongoing conflict, including nearly 700,000 who have left the country, according to the UN.
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