The World Food Program to end its work in Syria

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) regretted the announcement that its general food assistance program would end throughout Syria next January, stating that the lack of funding and financial tightening from WFP’s major donors forced it to terminate its work in Syria.

In a statement , WFP indicated that it will continue to support families affected by emergencies and natural disasters across the country through smaller and more targeted emergency interventions, assisting children under five, pregnant and lactating mothers through nutrition programs, children in schools and learning centers through the school meals program, agricultural families included in the livelihood support program, in addition to continuing interventions to support the recovery of local food systems, such as the rehabilitation of irrigation  and bakery systems.

“Over the course of 12 years of war and crises, we have stood by the Syrian people in the face of food insecurity, billions of dollars have been spent and millions of tons of food have been delivered to millions of families, but the program is unable to continue providing food at its previous levels in the midst of a suffocating historical funding crisis that will have serious consequences for millions of people.”

The program pointed out that factors such as the unprecedented level of humanitarian needs around the world, global economic challenges, and financial tightening by major donors have led to the inability of these agencies to provide the same level of support to Syria, explaining that due to its complete dependence on voluntary grants, the current funding crisis is forcing it to reduce its life-saving assistance globally at a time when severe hunger has reached record levels.

The WFP expressed its deep gratitude to its cooperating partners in Syria for their continued cooperation in supporting the most vulnerable families, pointing out that it will continue its efforts in mobilizing support for the Syrian people, through raising funds and spreading awareness in the international community.

During his meeting with WFP Representative and Country Director in Syria Kenneth Crossley, the Chairman of the Supreme Relief Committee, Minister of Local Administration and Environment, Engineer Hussein Makhlouf, expressed dissatisfaction with the announcement of the program’s termination of its work in Syria without prior coordination, which shows a deviation of the program’s path towards the politicization of humanitarian assistance programs provided to the Syrian people, and thus joining the parties working to exert pressure on the Syrian people, stressing his reservation to stop food assistance to the majority of the beneficiaries in light of the increase in the number of people in need.

Amal Farhat