Dubai: Just a few decades ago, both Sudan and Iraq were described in textbooks in Arab countries as the food baskets of the region.
Today, both countries are on the list of the main receivers of food aid in the world, with Sudan at the top, as a result of several factors, including political instability and internal strife, a top UN official said.
John Powell, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) described in an exclusive interview with Gulf News on Monday WFP's operations in Sudan, with a population of nearly 40 million as the largest operation for the UN organisation, with an estimated cost of $700 million (Dh2,751 million) a year.
"The largest operation that WFP undertakes anywhere in the world is in Sudan," said Powell.
"WFP is seeking to reach some 5.6 million people [there], about three million of whom are in Darfur. About two million live in camps, and one million are extraordinarily vulnerable, they need assistance, but live outside the camp environment."
However, he pointed out the challenges of providing aid in the African country.
Rising prices
"In fact as I speak to you now, 29 WFP contract drivers are missing and unaccounted for. We have had 60 trucks hijacked, so getting the food to those who need it, even when you have the food, is a very difficult task," he said.
As for Iraq, Powell said the WFP seeks to reach 750,000 Iraqis displaced within the country as a result of the continuous instability. However, the actual amount of aid received is "less than the target number we want. We are also seeking to provide food assistance to 360,000 Iraqis displaced and living in Syria," he added in an exclusive interview during his visit to Dubai.
He added that the UN organisation noted that Sudan's operation dates back nearly 20 years.
During his four-day visit, Powell will hold talks with senior officials in Abu Dhabi and Dubai on the challenges of delivering food assistance amid rising food and fuel prices, as well as unveiling the world's first humanitarian video game in Arabic called Food Force today.
He is also scheduled to participate in the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference.
Rising global prices are one of the main challenges facing the work of WFP. The other is manifested in working with other partners and affected developing countries to help them respond to "the new face of hunger".
"One of the ways which countries in the Middle East could particulary support WFP would be to bridge the gap between hunger and education," he said, adding that hungry children tend to stay out of school to help put a meal on their families' tables.
"A hungry child tends not to learn at school because they are too busy thinking where their next meal will come from. They won't be able to concentrate on their lessons," he added.
WFP provides millions of meals every day to children to encourage families to send their children to schools, and one of these programmes is being implemented in Yemen.
"We are very optimistic that the governments of the Middle East region will step forward and support our work in a financially substantial way," he added, describing the problem of providing enough food to the needy as "very large and very urgent".
