TEHRAN – The European Union (EU) has provided an additional €2 million in humanitarian funding to Iran’s World Food Program (WFP) to enable it to support refugees in the country.
Earlier this year, EU humanitarian aid had already contributed €1.5 million to WFP operations in Iran, the UN website announced in a press release on January 16.
This critical funding will enable WFP to continue its refugee cash assistance program until early 2025. The program has already made significant progress over the past few months, allowing refugees to meet their basic needs.
Iran is one of the countries hosting the largest number of refugees in the world, with 3.8 million refugees and individuals in refugee-like situations, the majority of whom are from Afghanistan.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, WFP is providing critical support to 33,000 of the most vulnerable refugees across 20 settlements.
This assistance includes food, cash assistance, school-based programs and livelihood opportunities, all aimed at supporting their resilience and eventual voluntary return. .
In cooperation with the EU, WFP has achieved an important milestone. We provide monthly cash assistance to thousands of refugee families.
This innovative approach restores a sense of normalcy to daily life by giving refugees freedom of choice and allowing them to diversify their diets by purchasing their favorite foods from local stores.
The funds received will directly impact the lives of thousands of refugees in Iran, providing them with the support they need and ensuring their well-being and stability in difficult circumstances,” said WFP Representative in Iran. Maser al-Ghribawi said. “However, the need remains great and we invite other donors to join us in our mission to ensure food security for all,” she added.
With additional resources, WFP Iran aims to continue its operations uninterrupted and provide lifesaving assistance to people in need. The organization remains committed to working closely with the EU and other partners to address the food security challenges faced by Iranian refugees.
The United Nations World Food Program is the world’s largest humanitarian organization that uses food aid to save lives in emergencies and build paths to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the effects of climate change. .
MT/MG