The Government of Uganda and WFP announced today that they have agreed to resume tomorrow WFP humanitarian operations in the drought-affected Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda.

The Government assured WFP that it will strengthen security for its staff, property and truck convoys following the killing last Monday of WFP driver Richard Achuka in an ambush by gunmen in Kotido District.

The attack took place as a convoy of four WFP trucks returned from delivering food to school children and people affected by drought in neighbouring Kaabong District.

"Challenging environment"

In the wake of the attack, WFP temporarily suspended food deliveries to half a million drought victims in the region.

“We must recognise that WFP works in a challenging environment,” said Minister of State for Relief and Disaster Preparedness Musa Ecweru.

“The Government will provide full security to the staff and property of WFP and all humanitarian partners in the region to enable them achieve their mission,” he said.

“Because we are keenly aware of the magnitude of the drought in Karamoja and the huge additional needs for relief assistance, WFP has agreed to resume its humanitarian work across the region from tomorrow (1 June),” said WFP Uganda Country Director Tesema Negash.

Pledge

Ecweru said that the Government holds WFP and its staff in high regard and that WFP always responds promptly when Ugandans are in distress.

This week, the leaders of Abim, Kaabong and Kotido Districts expressed concern at the murder and asked WFP to consider it as an isolated case. They pledged to pursue the attackers and bring them to justice.

They appealed to WFP to continue its assistance and said they appreciated WFP’s work for the last 40 years in Karamoja, which has the highest severe and moderate malnutrition rates in Uganda.

Critical time

“If WFP withdraws from Karamoja at this critical time, the suffering of the people will reach unacceptable levels,” said Simon Lokodo from the Karamoja Parliamentary Group.

In January, WFP started distributions of food assistance to 500,000 people in Karamoja, hit by a third drought in six years.

Another 200,000 people in Karamoja, the poorest region in Uganda, also receive WFP assistance, meaning that at least 70 percent of the region’s entire population benefits from WFP food.

Lydia Wamala
WFP/Uganda
Tel. +256-312-242408
Cell. +256-772-778-037

Peter Smerdon
WFP/Nairobi
Tel +254-207 622 179
Cell +254 733 528 911

Brenda Barton
Deputy Director
Communications
WFP/Rome
Tel. +39-06-65132602
Cell. +39-3472582217
(ISDN line available)

Gregory Barrow
WFP/London
Tel. +44-20-72409001
Cell. +44-7968-008474

Christiane Berthiaume
WFP/Geneva
Tel. +41-22-9178564
Cell. +41-792857304

Jennifer Parmelee
WFP/Washington
Tel. +1-202-6530010
Ext. 1149
Cell. +1-202-4223383

Bettina Luescher
WFP/New York
Tel. +1-212-9635196
Cell. +1-646-8241112