UN slashes food assistance in Haiti due to lack of funding

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - Funding cuts forced the World Food Program (WFP) to slash food assistance by 25% in crisis-hit Haiti, a UN spokesman said on Monday.

“This means 100,000 of the most vulnerable Haitians are forced to get by without any WFP support this month,” Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Gangs control wide swathes of the Caribbean nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince as Haitians face political tumult, a humanitarian crisis and poverty in addition to extreme violence.

The WFP’s humanitarian response plan in Haiti is only 16% funded and the agency requires $121 million through the end of 2023 to continue providing vital humanitarian assistance in the country.

“These cuts could not come at a worse time, as Haitians face a multi-layered humanitarian crisis, their lives and livelihoods upended by violence, insecurity, economic turmoil and climate shocks,” Jean-Martin Bauer, the WFP country director for Haiti, said in a statement.

“Unless we receive immediate funding, further devastating cuts cannot be ruled out,” he added.

Nearly half of the population – 4.9 million people – is unable to find enough to eat, according to the WFP.