ADDIS ABABA: The World Food Programme is on the brink of suspending food aid for millions of refugees in Ethiopia due to cuts in international aid, the UN agency said on Friday.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, hosts many refugees from neighboring Sudan and South Sudan, and also has internally displaced residents fleeing internal conflicts.
The director of the program (WFP) in Ethiopia, Zlatan Milisic, said it needed to raise about $230 million to sustain humanitarian operations for the next six months.
“Without immediate new funding, WFP could be forced to completely suspend food assistance for all refugees in Ethiopia in the coming months,” he said in a statement.
Reductions in foreign humanitarian aid by the United States and other Western countries this year have worsened funding issues in many developing countries.
WFP said this month it was forced to cut food rations for 780,000 refugees in 27 camps across Ethiopia.
“We are making impossible choices,” Milisic said.
“These reductions are just another step toward stopping food distributions completely, putting the lives of those we currently assist at risk.”
According to the agency, the latest cuts mean refugees are now receiving fewer than 1,000 calories a day in food aid — less than half the recommended 2,100 daily intake.
Ethiopia is receiving a surge of refugees from neighboring Sudan, gripped by civil war since April 2023, and South Sudan, long troubled by instability.
The Horn of African nation is also facing internal conflicts, particularly in its two most populous regions, which have displaced tens of thousands of people.
“Every ration cut is a child left hungrier, a mother forced to skip meals, a family pushed closer to the edge,” Milisic said.
In April, WFP said it had halted aid for 650,000 malnourished women and children in Ethiopia.
From January to October, it provided life-saving assistance to 4.7 million vulnerable people across the country.
Refugees in Ethiopia risk losing food aid: UN agency
https://arab.news/re4b2
Refugees in Ethiopia risk losing food aid: UN agency
- According to the agency, the latest cuts mean refugees are now receiving fewer than 1,000 calories a day in food aid — less than half the recommended 2,100 daily intake
- The director of the program (WFP) in Ethiopia, Zlatan Milisic, said it needed to raise about $230 million to sustain humanitarian operations for the next six months
Report highlights role of British Muslim charitable giving in supporting UK public services
- The study, “Building Britain: British Muslims Giving Back,” finds that donations from British Muslims are helping to bolster overstretched service
LONDON: British Muslim charitable giving is playing an increasingly significant role in supporting frontline public services across the UK, according to a new report by policy and research organization Equi.
The study, “Building Britain: British Muslims Giving Back,” finds that donations from British Muslims are helping to bolster overstretched services, including local councils, the NHS and welfare systems, at a time of growing financial pressure.
The report estimates that Muslim donors contribute around £2.2 billion ($2.9 billion) annually, making them the UK’s most generous community.
This figure is around four times the national giving average and rises to almost 10 times the average among higher earners.
According to the findings, Muslim-led charities are providing a wide range of support, including housing assistance, emergency cash grants, food provision and mental health services, easing demand on statutory services.
Equi points to evidence from 2023 showing that housing support delivered by the National Zakat Foundation helped prevent evictions that would have cost councils an estimated £28.8 million, with every £1 of charitable spending generating £73 in public sector savings.
The report also highlights a generational shift, with younger British Muslims increasingly directing their donations toward domestic causes such as homelessness, child poverty and mental health challenges.
Despite their growing impact, Muslim charities face a number of barriers, including de-banking, restrictive funding rules, securitization measures and what the report describes as limited recognition from government. Equi argues that these challenges are constraining the sector’s ability to maximize its contribution.
“British Muslim giving is not just generosity but a lifeline for public services that needs recognizing,” said Equi Managing Director Prof. Javed Khan.
“From preventing evictions to supporting mental health, these donations are saving millions for the taxpayer and strengthening communities across Britain. The evidence is clear that Muslim-led action is delivering frontline support where the state is struggling,” he added.
Equi is calling on policymakers to engage more closely with Muslim-led charities and to move beyond what it describes as symbolic recognition.
The report recommends measures such as UK-based match-funding schemes and greater faith literacy within policymaking, which it says could unlock billions of pounds in additional domestic spending while maintaining the UK’s global humanitarian commitments.
The study concluded that with greater collaboration between government and Muslim charities, charitable giving could play an even more transformative role in strengthening public services and social cohesion across the country.
