| Author (Person) | Cronin, David |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.10, No.20, 3.6.04 |
| Publication Date | 03/06/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 03/06/04 EU HUMANITARIAN aid to North Korea is falling dramatically despite a warning of widespread hunger among its population. The World Food Programme (WFP) has set itself a target of helping some 6.5 million of the country's 23m-strong population meet their basic needs. But due to declining donations the UN agency almost ran out of cereals, the staple form of food assistance, earlier this year. Since April it has cut off aid to some 400,000 of the 3.8m people it has identified as its 'core beneficiaries'. "Four out of ten people are showing signs of chronic malnutrition, so it is not a good idea to shut off food to them," said Masood Hyder, director of the WFP's office in Pyongyang. "One of the most upsetting things for me as a parent is to visit a pregnant woman on our programme and upon seeing her assume she is three months pregnant but then discover she is full-term. As a result, the weight of babies born is low, thus passing on the legacy of hunger to another generation." The European Commission has confirmed it will provide €4 million to the WFP operations this year - just half of what it gave in 2003. The 2004 contribution from the Commission amounts to less than 3% of the WFP's identified requirements for the communist-ruled state. Its overall projection is that €140 million - or 485,000 tonnes of food - is needed this year. The WFP has also pinpointed a drastic reduction in donations from several EU countries, such as Italy, Denmark, Germany and Finland. Hyder said the WFP and staff from other humanitarian agencies in North Korea have a vital "preventive capacity" while the international community frets about Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Those ambitions are subject to the so-called six party talks - involving Japan, the US, China, Russia and both North and South Korea. "If we are properly supported, we are the best guarantee the outside world has of things not getting out of control in North Korea," Hyder added. "The consequences of a deterioration are incalculable." |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations |
| Countries / Regions | Eastern Asia |
