WFP increases assistance to IDPs in Sri Lanka to $ 134.9 million
The Executive Director of the World Food Program, (WFP), has approved
a budget increase of US $ 17.09 million for the Protracted Relief and
Recovery Operations (PRRO) for Sri Lanka by bringing the total budget of
the PRRO to US $ 134.9 million for 2009.
WFP's Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) help sustain
disaster-hit communities as they re-establish livelihoods and stabilize
food security. The new protracted relief and recovery operation for Sri
Lanka for the period 2009-2010 aims to provide food and protect
livelihoods of displaced people, returning internally displaced persons
and those affected by the conflict but living in their own homes. Under
the continuing WFP's operations, the agency will provide rations to over
280,000 people accommodated in temporary welfare centers. In the recent
months, WFP has also scaled up the provision of additional fortified
food to all children under the age of five years and for pregnant and
lactating women in the temporary camps.
Ms. Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of WFP in conveying the
increased budget of the PRRO to the government of Sri Lanka has assured
the desire of the WFP to continue its cooperation with the Government of
Sri Lanka to stabilize food security and restoration of the livelihood
of IDPs. Ambassador Hemantha Warnakulasuriya welcomed the continued
support and cooperation of the WFP to Sri Lanka, a food deficit country
emerging from a conflict, for its effort to eradicate hunger and
malnutrition and restore livelihood of IDPs. He further added that this
is an acknowledgement of the efforts of the Government led by Mahinda
Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka to improve the living conditions of
IDPs and restore their livelihood.
All activities under the PRRO will be implemented through the
Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, which
will have primary responsibility to implement the PRRO, ensuring
sustainability through integration with government policies.
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