KATHMANDU, Nov 9: The Australian government´s Overseas Aid Program (AusAID) has donated US$460,000 to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Nepal to feed more than 90,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, the WFP said in a statement on Monday.
“AusAID´s donation will cover the food needs for the entire refugee population for 20 days,” WFP said in the statement.
“We are very grateful to the Australian Government for their timely contribution and their continued support to the refugees,” said Richard Ragan, WFP Country Representative in Nepal, adding that WFP has been able to resume full ration distributions two weeks after funding shortfalls had forced a 50 percent reduction in the rations.
Under their current status, the refugees from Bhutan are restricted from engaging in economic activities outside the camps and from owning land. This makes humanitarian assistance, such as the food assistance supported by the international donor community, essential to meeting their basic needs.
Australia is also contributing to a long-term solution to the refugee problem by resettling 5,000 refugees in Australia over the next five years, the statement quoted Australian Ambassador to Nepal Susan Grace as saying.
At the request of the Government of Nepal, WFP has been providing food assistance to the refugees in close coordination with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR
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