European Commission and United Kingdom helped WFP reach the most vulnerable with food assistance in Niger

In Niger, more than 2 million people are chronically food insecure according to the Cadre Harmonisé. These populations live in fragile and degraded environments, subject to recurring natural disasters. Conflicts on the country's borders are also a destabilizing factor in the affected regions.  Niger currently hosts 57,000 Malian refugees in the Tillaberi and Tahoua regions - most of whom have been in the country since 2012. Since 2014 about 250,000 people have been displaced by the Boko Haram crisis in the Diffa region. Insecurity along the borders with Mali and Burkina Faso, combined with inter-communal violence, has led to the displacement of about 50,000 people in the Tillaberi and Tahoua regions since the beginning of 2018.

“We understand how vital food is to the people displaced, especially women and children – keeping them healthy and alive while a lasting solution comes their way,” said Sory Ouane, WFP Representative and Country Director in Niger. “We are very grateful to ECHO and the UK Government for their continued support to our work in Niger.”

Thanks to ECHO and UK support, WFP was able to provide crucial food and nutrition support to 201,041 people affected by crisis in Diffa, Tahoua and Tillabery regions. Another 53,557 newly displaced people were assisted through the Rapid Response Mechanism, which is implemented jointly with partners. These populations were also supported during the lean season - when food stocks are low and fields are not yet producing crops.

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The United Nations World Food Programme - saving lives in emergencies and changing lives for millions through sustainable development. WFP works in more than 80 countries around the world, feeding people caught in conflict and disasters, and laying the foundations for a better future.

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