MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
Australia will give $2.5 million in food aid to the World Food Programme
(WFP) for its appeal for US$41.6 million for North Korea. The international
appeal is in response to the country's growing famine.
Two successive years of extensive flooding in the DPRK, have decimated areas
which together produce some 60 per cent of North Korea's food grain,
significantly set back agriculture and compounded underlying food production
problems. Average cereal rations have dropped to less than 200 grams per person
per day, less than half than that needed to sustain health and well being.
WFP hopes to purchase 100 000 metric tonnes of food to meet the immediate
needs of over 1.7 million people in the DPRK. Programs to be implemented include
supplementary feeding for 630 000 children under the age of five, food for work
schemes and a nutritional survey. The current appeal includes funds for
supervision and monitoring of food distribution.>
Australia's contribution reflects our humanitarian concern to help prevent a
worsening of food shortages in North Korea. It follows last year's contribution
of $1.1 million to UN appeals for humanitarian assistance to the DPRK.
Media contact: Peter Collins (Mr Downer's Office) 0411 414
695
Andrea McLaughlin (AusAID) 06 282 6067/015 265
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