The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
World Food Programme (WFP) warns that COVID-19 third wave has hit Myanmar’s people like a ‘tsunami’
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Friday that it is facing a 70 per cent funding shortfall in Myanmar, where millions face growing food insecurity.
Amid the “triple impact of poverty, the current political unrest and economic crisis”, coupled with the rapidly spreading third wave of COVID-19, that is “practically like a tsunami that’s hit this country”, the people of Myanmar are “experiencing the most difficult moment in their lives”, WFP Myanmar Country Director Stephen Anderson said, from Nay Pyi Taw.
“These multiple challenges are undermining the ability of many communities throughout Myanmar to put food on their family’s table,” he added. The WFP needs $86 million to help fight hunger in the country over the next six months, amid turmoil since the military ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi on 1 February 1.
In April, the UN agency estimated that 3.4 million more people nationwide could be pushed into food insecurity between May and October. In response, the WFP tripled its planned support to the country and commenced “large-scale emergency food distributions for up to two million people in the poorest townships of Myanmar, starting in Yangon,” Mr Anderson explained.
At the same time, the WFP is “stepping up its operations” to reach newly-displaced people affected by the clashes and insecurity in recent months, while continuing to assist 360,000 food-insecure people in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states, where there have been longstanding concerns.
Calling for critical access to all those in need in order to provide them with humanitarian assistance, Mr. Anderson urged the international community to support the WFP’s work.
“We very much need sustained access to those who are in greatest need of humanitarian assistance…we do need the support and attention of the international community now more than ever.”
ends
STORY: Myanmar Food Insecurity - WFP
TRT: 03:04”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 6 August 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1. Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
2. Wide shot, press briefing room.
3. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Stephen Anderson, WFP Myanmar Country Director: “The people of Myanmar are going through their most difficult time in memory. They've been faced with multiple challenges, multiple shocks. First of all, poverty. Of course, poverty predated the current situation. But then, of course, since the 1 February military takeover, there has been increased political unrest, there is also economic and economic crisis.”
4.Wide of panel at the briefing.
5. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Stephen Anderson, WFP Myanmar Country Director: “COVID19, we had a very tough second wave last year, which had a devastating impact on people's livelihoods, and now the third wave, it's practically like a tsunami that's hit this country. It's hitting all aspects and creating major havoc.”
6.Close, side view of panel at the briefing.
7.SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Stephen Anderson, WFP Myanmar Country Director:
“WFP has tried to launch large-scale assistance to people who are we believe are in very high need, in critical need in urban areas, in the poorest parts of the urban areas. And we started in Yangon and we've assisted approximately 750,000 people so far. But we believe that about two million people should be targeted with emergency food assistance.”
8.Mid of journalists at the briefing.
9. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Stephen Anderson, WFP Myanmar Country Director:
“We are also sustaining our support for about 360 thousand people who require monthly lifesaving support. And these were people who were needy even before this year. They are mainly living in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states where there has been long-running conflict.”
10.Mid of journalist at briefing.
11. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Stephen Anderson, WFP Myanmar Country Director:
“So, essentially, we are facing a 70 per cent funding gap over the next six months. We need approximately $86 million. Equally, of course, we very much need sustained access to those who are in greatest need of humanitarian assistance. And really so to really sum it up, we do need the support and attention of the international community now more than ever.”
12. Mid of journalist on phone at briefing.
13. Wide of panel at briefing.
14. Mid of journalist at briefing.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UN WOMEN
In Sudan’s El Obeid, women risk drone attacks by day and rape by night to access water
As war intensifies in the city of El Obeid in North Kordofan state, filling up a jerrycan of water comes at a high risk for women and girls: by day, drones strike water points and by night, women who venture out to fill a bucket risk rape. UN Women warns of a dual terror that has turned access to water into a deadly gamble.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokesperson Shabia Mantoo made the following remarks on stranded Hormuz seafarers abandoned for months at sea, at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Danielle Bell, head of UN Human Rights’ Ukraine team, spoke of the deepening impact of the war on the civilian population.
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan made the following remarks Intensified Israeli attacks in Gaza.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DR Congo: Ebola outbreak continues to expand, WHO sees signs of stabilization
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), UN health teams and partners are still racing to contain the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak, despite ongoing insecurity in eastern areas where the virus has taken hold. As of 19 July, the DRC Government has recorded 2,423 confirmed cases, including 967 deaths and 469 patient recoveries.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights spokeperson Jeremy Laurence appealed for calm in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir amid a wave of unrest ahead of regional elections at the end of the month.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
UN humanitarians working in war-torn Sudan warned on Friday of growing dramatic needs among the more than 100,000 displaced people now sheltering in camps in the city of El Obeid. "We are providing even not the full food ration to the people, but even that reduced food ration is being shared by the recipients with other families, because they know that they don't have any other source of income," said World Food Programme (WFP) Sudan Country Director Abdallah Alwardat.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
‘This is a fire’: DRC Ebola outbreak is fastest-growing ever, warns WHO
Infections of the Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reached record highs and a majority of new cases are coming from “unknown chains of transmission”, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
In war-torn Sudan, a deadly new cholera outbreak has already claimed more than 100 lives, heightening serious concerns for vulnerable communities including in besieged El-Obeid, where daily drone attacks reportedly continue to hamper aid access.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL
Ceasefire reduces violence in South Lebanon, but challenges remain as communities face devastation.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Ebola continues to spread in DRC, death toll passes 500 – WHO
The outbreak of the deadly Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expanding, while the push to accelerate testing and identify effective treatment options continues, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | ITU , ODET , PGA , UN , UNESCO
UN chief António Guterres appealed on Monday for far-reaching, worldwide controls on Artificial Intelligence, as increasingly powerful AI chips that are designed for civilian use shift to the battlefield, where “killer robots” are already the norm.