The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a contribution of JPY 200 million (USD 1.87 million) from the Government of Japan to provide food assistance and livelihoods support to refugees and asylum-seekers living in Maratane Refugee Camp (Nampula Province) and internally displaced people (IDPs) in Cabo Delgado province in Mozambique.
This generous support from Japan will enable WFP to support 9,500 refugees and asylum seekers in Maratane Refugee Camp (Nampula) with food assistance, and strengthen income-generating opportunities through a livelihoods project in close collaboration with the Government of Mozambique and other UN agencies.
WFP believes that local integration and self-reliance are an opportunity for improving living conditions of refugees in Maratane camp, given that Refugees, asylum-seekers, and host communities are reliant on WFP food assistance.
“We thank the people and the Government of Japan for their continued support and assistance to Mozambique. This contribution enables us to continue supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Maratane camp through in-kind food assistance and capacity-strengthening towards self-reliance and integration”, said WFP Mozambique Representative, Ms. Antonella D’Aprile. “In fact, to avoid jeopardizing the transition to self-reliance, ensuring the food security of the refugee population is imperative. Additionally, this contribution enables us to strengthen our emergency response to increasing numbers of IDPs in the country.”
Maratane camp was established in 2001 and is considered the only refugee camp in Mozambique, hosting 9,500 Refugees and Asylum Seekers. Additionally, the camp area accounts for 16,390 people from the host community. These communities are directly relying on the camp for services – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Health, Education and other Social Services provided by the Government of Mozambique and UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency. In light of the unfolding outbreak of COVID-19, in collaboration with other UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations, and Government partners, WFP also contributed to the establishment of COVID-19 preventive measures in the camp.
The Government of Japan has been funding food assistance for developing countries since 1968 and is a long-standing partner of WFP in Mozambique.
Original source: WFP
