BROOKLYN, NY — The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in response to growing needs in Haiti, is providing US$1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support ongoing humanitarian operations.

This funding will pay for the WFP to provide air, sea and road transport to help move emergency assistance to vulnerable Haitians, amidst considerable insecurity and difficult access. It will also finance the storage of humanitarian supplies, as well as information management and coordination support to keep the WFP’s operations efficient and effective.

USAID is also working with the WFP to distribute an additional 2,200 metric tones of food, which will reach approximately 100,000 people and arrive in the coming weeks.

The food is in response to the emergency food needs in the country, as announced last month.

To date, the WFP has distributed approximately 749 metric tonnes of food to Haitian households.

USAID has also invested US$20 million in outgoing emergency food assistance programs throughout Haiti to support the most vulnerable households with cash transfers and food vouchers, along with activities to strengthen livelihoods and promote key healthy nutrition practices.

In addition to food assistance, USAID supports communities in Haiti through funding for interventions in the shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene, which helps to ensure that they are prepared for potential disasters.

Shortages of fuel, roadblocks, protests and violent incidents have restricted the movement of USAID staff and partners in recent months.

According to USAID, while the organization’s humanitarian assistance will help alleviate some urgent needs “it will not, it cannot, address the root causes of the current economic and political gridlock in Haiti”.