US responds to APM’s SOS
United States of America (USA) has responded to President Peter Mutharika’s appeal for emergency relief assistance with a donation of $15.7 million (K9 billion) worth of food commodities to assist some of the 2.8 million people in need of humanitarian aid.
The food donation is expected in Malawi beginning next month, according to a statement from the US Embassy in Lilongwe.
Malawi is facing one of its worst hunger situations in recent years following a 27.7 percent drop in the production of maize, the staple grain, due to combined effects of floods and drought earlier this year.
The US Embassy statement said the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) will receive and distribute the food donation of 6 250 metric tons (MT) of beans and 2 810 MT of vitamin A and D fortified vegetable oil as part of a larger food basket designed to meet nutritional requirements of those in need.
US Ambassador Virginia Palmer said her country is committed to Malawi’s welfare and development.
She said: “We are proud to partner with the people of Malawi in this time of need.”
This is not the first time the USA is coming in to rescue the country from hunger as since 2012, through the US Agency for International Development (USaid), it has provided over $55 million (K29.2 billion) of food assistance to address food insecurity stemming from recurrent adverse weather in Malawi.
In August 2014, the USA provided $7 million (K3.7 billion) through WFP to support the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) response to the seasonal food insecurity that affected 640 000 people in 19 districts across Malawi and early this year, it also provided assistance totalling $9.3 million (about MK5 billion) to Malawi when the country experienced widespread, devastating floods.
