Germany Supports WFP’s Humanitarian Assistance for Refugees in Tanzania

In December, the World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a €3.25 million contribution from the Federal Republic of Germany to support its work in favour of refugees and asylum seekers in Tanzania in 2018-19.

“WFP greatly appreciates this generous contribution from the Government and people of Germany,” said WFP Tanzania Country Representative, Mr Michael Dunford, “Germany is a key supporter of WFP’s programme providing life-saving food assistance for refugees in Tanzania.”

WFP distributes monthly rations consisting of cereal, pulses, vegetable oil and salt as well as fortified supplementary foods for vulnerable pregnant and lactating women, children under five, malnourished persons with HIV/AIDS and hospital in-patients. In addition, high energy biscuits are provided to refugees in transit.

Tanzania hosts some 290,000 refugees, most of them women and children, in Nduta, Nyarugusu and Mtendeli refugee camps in Kigoma region in northwest Tanzania. More than 70 per cent are from Burundi and the remainder primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“My country is proud to support WFP in helping those in need who have found refuge in Tanzania,” said Dr Detlef Waechter, Ambassador of Germany to Tanzania. “It will be important to get political conditions right for the refugees to return to their home countries voluntarily and safely.”

While limited funding forced reductions in rations between February 2017 and October this year, increased support from donors, including Germany, has enabled the restoration of full rations. WFP continues to raise funds so that food rations do not need to be reduced in the coming months.