The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) marked the completion of a joint program supporting refugees and Egyptian host communities in Cairo on 4 June 2026, according to a press release by WFP. The initiative delivered integrated programs to improve nutrition, economic resilience, and social cohesion. With a contribution of USD 6 million from KOICA, WFP implemented the three-year program. It supported vulnerable refugees from more than eight nationalities, along with members of Egyptian host communities. The activities covered Greater Cairo, Alexandria, Damietta, and Matrouh.
The program responded to growing pressures on refugees and host communities in Egypt linked to developments in Sudan and Syria. It combined livelihoods training, microgrants, psychosocial support, and nutrition assistance. The intervention targeted both refugees and Egyptians to reduce tensions and foster shared resilience. WFP worked with Egypt’s National Nutrition Institute on the nutrition component. KOICA, established in April 1991, served as the funding partner through its country office in Egypt.
More than 14,000 refugees and host community members received training in market-driven vocational skills, along with microgrants to establish and grow small businesses. Within six months, 39 percent of participants had engaged in income-generating activities. More than 5,600 people secured employment, increasing their average household income by 62 percent. The program also strengthened social cohesion and wellbeing through psychosocial support sessions. Among participants, 99 percent reported improvements in stress management and overall mental wellbeing.
“For many vulnerable families, this programme has restored hope and strengthened their sense of security for the future,” said Rawad Halabi, WFP Country Director and Representative in Egypt.
He added that partnerships such as the one with KOICA expand access to skills and resources needed to build resilience and move toward self-reliance. Dr Sooyoung Park, Country Director of the KOICA Egypt Office, said the program strengthened the resilience of refugees and host communities at a time when the refugee situation in Egypt intensified due to developments in Sudan and Syria. Ahmed, a Sudanese refugee who received training and now owns a business, said, “I feel a sense of safety now that I have a stable source of income that allows me to provide for my family.” He added that the business and the social connections it created have made him feel like he belongs.
To improve nutrition outcomes, WFP provided monthly cash assistance to 9,500 pregnant and breastfeeding women with children under two years old, conditional on regular health check-ups. In partnership with Egypt’s National Nutrition Institute, WFP delivered nutrition awareness sessions focused on infant feeding during the first 1,000 days of life. Women’s diets improved, with 41 percent meeting minimum dietary diversity, up from 18 percent at the start of the project. The joint program closed having combined economic, nutritional, and psychosocial interventions for vulnerable families. WFP and KOICA confirmed the completion of the three-year partnership in Egypt.
