UN suspends food aid to 1.7m Syrian refugees

A lack of funds has forced the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to stop providing food vouchers for 1.7 million Syrian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt, the agency said on Monday.

“Without WFP vouchers, many families will go hungry. For refugees already struggling to survive the harsh winter, the consequences of halting this assistance will be devastating,” said WFP, which needs $64 million (€51m) to support the refugees for the rest of December.

The electronic voucher programme has already injected about $800 million into local shops in the countries hosting refugees, and WFP will immediately resume it if new funding arrives, the statement said.

WFP had warned last month that it might be forced to impose such a suspension and said it might have to announce a similar suspension in January for people reliant on aid within Syria.

The agency has already cut rations for 4.25 million people in Syria.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR has said that a lack of cash has forced it to prioritise as it helps those in need prepare for winter, with preference for people at higher, colder altitudes and vulnerable refugees such as newborn babies.

In a statement tonight, UNICEF Ireland expressed concern at developments.

“Without this essential aid, children in need will go hungry. The consequences of this decision will be devastating to the millions of families who are living in refugee camps and struggling to survive the harsh winter conditions,” its executive director Peter Power said.

A UNICEF Ireland delegation will travel to Jordan to assess the situation on the ground this week. The delegation will also visit the Za’athari refugee camp.