Dushanbe, Tajikistan, February 18, 2023 – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman joined the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director Adham Musallam, and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative Osama Makkawi Khogali in announcing a $13 million award to support vulnerable households in response to rising food insecurity in the country.
The funding will enable WFP to support vulnerable communities to better meet their food needs and strengthen government capacity to address the impacts of concurring shocks. Approximately 200,000 people are anticipated to receive unconditional cash transfers, along with livelihoods support.
“As communities continue to be affected by ongoing crises, including the Russia’s war against Ukraine, it is critical for WFP to continue its work in food security and resilience-building in Tajikistan. We thank the U.S. Government for this timely contribution and its commitment to ending hunger in Tajikistan and beyond,” – said WFP Representative and Country Director Adham Musallam.
UNICEF will provide essential services to prevent and treat child malnutrition, including technical assistance to increase access to nutrition care services for 270,000 children under five years and 240,000 pregnant and lactating women. Approximately 300 health facilities in Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition target areas will receive assistance and training so that they may better provide essential nutrition services.
“It’s only through partnership that we can support the Government of Tajikistan in upholding children’s right to nutrition and ending all forms of malnutrition in the country. We are deeply grateful to the Government of the United States for joining our effort and stepping up to spearhead the traditionally underfunded area for the important element of children’s right to adequate nutrition,”- noted UNICEF Representative in Tajikistan Osama Makkawi Khogali.
The latest WFP food security assessment shows that the combined impact of remittance losses due to the conflict in Ukraine, and food price increases could exacerbate severe food insecurity in Tajikistan from one to eight percent, resulting in about 800,000 people falling into severe food insecurity. WFP is closely monitoring household-level food security and market situation, as well as mobilizing funds in support of food-insecure families in the country.
“USAID will continue to support Tajikistan’s agricultural productivity and address growing food insecurity that has been exacerbated here and around the world by Russia’s war against Ukraine. We are proud to provide Tajik families the resources to grow nutritious food for themselves as well as offer cash in exchange for work on community projects so that people can earn a livable income while, at the same time, making their communities more resilient,” – said USAID Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman.
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USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a lead actor driving development results. For more information, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/tajikistan and the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/usembassy.dushanbe/
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on Twitter @WFPAsiaPacific, @wfp_tajikistan
UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. UNICEF operates in Tajikistan since 1993. Follow UNICEF on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
