The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Food for Peace Office (FFP) in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) has committed over US$600,000 to supporting refugee food needs in Luapula Province. USAID Zambia director Patrick Diskin said with funding provided by the American people, the World Food Programme Zambia will procure 800 metric tonnes of food to feed about 15,000 refugees for three months.

Mr Diskin said the donation will consist of locally-purchased cereals, beans, and peas from smallholder farmers and local aggregators to support local wholesalers and stimulate the economy of Luapula Province. “We look forward to USAID’s ongoing partnership with the World Food Programme as we join Zambia in caring for regional refugees during this crisis,” he said.

This is according to a statement issued yesterday by the American Embassy. Mr Diskin said through the FFP, the American government is helping meet the food needs of refugees in Zambia and around the world. And WFP Zambia country director Jennifer Bitonde lauded the US government for its continued support in promoting food security for the Congolese refugees in Nchelenge district.

“This contribution is an important signal that the refugees are not being forgotten and a recognition of WFP’s efforts to respond to their plight,” she said. Ms Bitonde said some refugees travelled for up to three months to get to Zambia and arrived in poor conditions, with many having been victims of violence. She said the US-supported food relief will directly assist the refugees to meet their food needs while housed at Zambia’s Mantapala Refugee Settlement.

Ms Bitonde said WFP Zambia is also working on multiple levels to address social protection, nutrition, and sustainable risk management to advance food and nutrition security in Zambia. The ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has led to a significant influx of refugees into Zambia. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Zambian government, through Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, estimate that 15,000 people have crossed into Luapula Province since August 2017.