The U.S. Government Celebrates World Humanitarian Day 2022 Concomitantly with the Arrival at the Douala Port of New Shipment of Food Containing 72000 Bags of Rice of 50 kg Each Destined to vulnerable Cameroonians and Refugees.

The U.S. Government Celebrates World Humanitarian Day 2022 Concomitantly with the Arrival at the Douala Port of New Shipment of Food Containing 72000 Bags of Rice of 50 kg Each Destined to vulnerable Cameroonians and Refugees.

Douala, Cameroon - The celebration of the 2022 World Humanitarian Day coincided this year with the reception, at the Douala port, of 72000 bags of rice of 50 kg each (3,600 metric tons of rice) by the United Nation World Food Program (WFP), as part of USG contribution to the fight against the growing Food Insecurity in Cameroon through the United State Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA). On this occasion, Allan Reed, acting Cameroon Representative for USAID/Cameroon, visited the Douala Port Authority and observed food commodity shipment operations alongside WFP’s Deputy Country Representative, Mr. Aboubacar Guindo. “WFP receives on average, 100,000 metric tons (MT) of food commodities every year, that transit through this Douala port, to WFP operated warehouses across the country, and supplies countries in sub-region including Chad, Central African Republic, Nigerian, and Burkina Faso. The food commodities received are to support the most vulnerable, Internally Displaced Persons, and refugees, suffering from climate shocks, conflicts, COVID-19 and rising food costs come from USAID/BHA,” Mr. Aboubacar Explained.

Allan Reed explained that Cameroon is one of the 47 countries receiving food assistance from the U.S. Government. The global food, fertilizer and fuel price increases are further compounding the existing humanitarian emergencies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Further deterioration of these conditions could trigger new setbacks for the region and make it difficult for some African governments to deliver critical social services and maintain stability. 

Allan Reed also echoed President Biden’s commitment to rallying partners to address global food insecurity and seized the opportunity of the celebration of World Humanitarian Day, this August 19, to highlight the importance recognizing the great work done by the thousands of volunteers, professionals and crisis-affected people who deliver urgent health care, shelter, food, protection, water and much more across the world.

The U.S. government through USAID is the largest donor of food aid in Cameroon, providing over $50 million (about 300 billion CFA) each year to assist more than 1 million people affected by conflicts and climate shocks. The shipment of food received by the World Food Program today will be transported to the Far North, East, North, Adamawa, North West and South West regions to cover part of the food needs of more than 2.5 million people in critical need. From now till October 2022, WFP is expected to have received at the Douala port an additional 21,193 MT of rice, sorghum, plumpy nuts, vegetable oil and pulses coming from the U.S., for food insecure people in Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic.

The United States is committed to continue working with the government of Cameroon to improve the living conditions of refugees, Internally Displaced Persons, and vulnerable people in all crisis-affected regions of the country. 

For more information about USAID’s impact in Cameroon, please visit https://www.usaid.gov/cameroon.

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