The Republic of Korea has contributed $5 million to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to support food assistance, nutrition services and school feeding for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.
The contribution, officially announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of the Republic of Korea (ROK) in July, comes as nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char continue to depend on humanitarian assistance.
The funding will enable WFP to support more than 462,000 Rohingya refugees, including vulnerable families receiving food assistance, more than 36,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women receiving nutrition support, and 260,000 children attending learning centers receiving school meals.
The funding will also support the second phase of REACH (Responding with Emergency Assistance for Conflict-affected Households), a humanitarian initiative of ROK’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs implemented in partnership with WFP.
In Bangladesh, REACH supports efforts to strengthen humanitarian assistance for vulnerable communities affected by conflict and displacement.
Through WFP’s e-voucher system, Rohingya families can choose the food they need with greater flexibility. Nutrition services provide pregnant and breastfeeding women with nutritious food and treatment when malnutrition is identified.
The school feeding program provides children with fortified food on school days, helping meet their nutritional needs while encouraging regular attendance and continued participation in learning.
“Having once received international support, the Republic of Korea is proud to now stand alongside WFP in supporting people affected by humanitarian crises around the world, including Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh,” said Kim Ji-joon, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh.
“Through this partnership, we remain committed to protecting vulnerable communities and contributing to our shared global humanitarian efforts,” he said.
“As the Rohingya crisis approaches its tenth year, continued international support is essential to protect lives, uphold dignity and ensure that children and families can meet their basic food and nutrition needs,” said Coco Ushiyama, WFP Representative and Country Director in Bangladesh.
“We are deeply grateful to the Government and people of the Republic of Korea for standing with the Rohingya at this critical time,” she said.
The Republic of Korea and WFP have been partners for more than 60 years, with their cooperation dating back to 1964.
In Bangladesh, ROK has provided cash and in-kind support to WFP’s humanitarian operations. With the latest $5 million contribution, ROK’s cash contributions through the e-voucher modality to WFP’s humanitarian operations in Bangladesh have reached $11.9 million.
As the Rohingya crisis continues and humanitarian resources come under increasing pressure, sustained international support remains essential to ensure that Rohingya families can continue to access food, nutrition and education support.