The German government has made a contribution of $4.5 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in its continuous support to the critical work for Rohingya families and their host communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh.
“This contribution will support the Government of Bangladesh to meet its commitment to the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals as well as their host communities in Cox’s Bazar,” said Md. Mohsin, secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, according to a press released issued by the WFP on Wednesday.
“Lifesaving assistance is particularly important now with the ongoing pandemic and heavy monsoon rains, both of which are posing great risks to vulnerable families,” he added.
The entire population of the 859,000 Rohingyas living across the camps in Cox’s Bazar, one of the poorest districts of Bangladesh, rely on WFP for food. In addition, WFP provides nutrition and livelihood support to the host communities in order to improve their long-term food security outlook.
Peter Fahrenholtz, German ambassador to Bangladesh said: “As a longstanding partner to the Government of Bangladesh and WFP, we are pleased to know that our contribution is helping humanitarian workers in the frontline to continue their life saving work for some of the most vulnerable people during such trying times.”
Through the German Federal Foreign Office, the new funding support from Germany will also go towards telecommunications services in support of the work of the wider humanitarian community.
“At a time when Covid-19 is exacerbating inequalities and severely impacting communities in Bangladesh and also around the world, we are especially grateful for such an act of solidarity and generosity from Germany,” said Richard Ragan, WFP country director in Bangladesh.
With this latest contribution, Germany has provided WFP Bangladesh with a total of $30 million since the onset of the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017.
