S. Sudan: China donates over 2,000 metric tons of rice to WFP

July 16, 2019 (JUBA) – The Chinese government on Tuesday handed over 2,185 metric tons of rice to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support a school meals project in South Sudan.

The deputy Country Director for WFP in South Sudan, Steve Nsubuga said the donation of the Chinese food items will be used to provide meals to at least 86,000 children in 230 schools across the country.

According to Nsubuga, with over two million children out of school in South Sudan, the food aid from the Chinese would boost efforts to increase education opportunities in the world’s youngest nation.

The charge d’affairs at the Chinese embassy in Juba, Liu Xiaodong, said the food aid is part of China’s efforts to help end food insecurity.

“This makes yet another example of China-WFP and South Sudan conducting successful trilateral cooperation in boosting food security and nutrition in South Sudan. Food assistance is essential to avoid humanitarian catastrophe in this country,” he said.

On his part, South Sudan’s education minister, Deng Deng Hoc lauded the Chinese government for supporting the country’s education sector.

“I thank the Chinese government who supported this program through this donation and we hope more development partners will come in and do like the government of China and support this program as well,” he said.

The donation is reportedly part of $7million contributed by China to the WFP for the purchases of rice and other essential items to boost food and nutrition assistance in South Sudan.

(ST)