THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD

Published purpose

14 March 2011 - A popular uprising against the four-decade long rule of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi began on February 16th, 2011. Conflict between pro- and anti- government forces has resulted in instability. As of mid-March 2011, over two hundred thousands of affected people have crossed the borders into neighbouring countries (Egypt and Tunisia) and become stranded at transit stations. Affected populations, both inside and outside of Libya, are in need of food, water, sanitation, and medical attention. Through this emergency operation, the World Food Programme (WFP) aims to provide targeted food assistance to meet the needs of crisis-affected populations in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt, for a period of three months. In Libya, where the ongoing violence has disrupted markets in this net food importer country, WFP aims to target the vulnerable population with emergency food distributions and other types of food and nutrition transfers (i.e. blanket supplementary feeding to children under 3). In Tunisia and Egypt, WFP provides returnees, displaced persons and other vulnerable individuals with family take-home rations, supplementary food, and transit rations (cooked meals).