The Syria Response Coordinators team issued a statement on Wednesday, expressing concern over the actions taken by the World Food Program (WFP) in Syria. According to the team, the WFP has initiated procedures to reduce the number of beneficiaries in Syria from 5.5 million to 2.5 million, marking the largest reduction process carried out by the program in the country in years.
The organization deeply regrets this new reduction and emphasizes that it had previously warned against such measures. It further highlights that the recent cuts do not align with the assessment of humanitarian needs in Syria.
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These cuts will inevitably force hundreds of thousands of civilians into heightened levels of poverty and hunger, exacerbating the existing shortfall in humanitarian responses, which has already reached record levels.
The organization attributes the responsibility for this reduction to the food security and livelihoods sector, as well as the World Food Program (WFP). It criticizes the program’s inability to strike a balance between actual needs and the prices of food commodities in the local market, citing insufficient funding as the pretext. This situation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of donor conferences and the transparency of donation funds designated for the Syrian people.
Numerous humanitarian actors have already cautioned about the persistent cuts in humanitarian aid, warning of an imminent and uncontrollable famine. The organization calls upon international bodies to increase their support for civilians, particularly in light of the deteriorating economic situation in northwestern Syria. Additionally, it highlights the inability of thousands of civilians in other areas controlled by the Syrian regime to meet their basic food needs.
The organization stresses the necessity of conducting thorough audits in areas controlled by the Syrian regime. It highlights concerns about the regime’s substantial funding of its military operations through United Nations assistance, facilitated by accredited partners such as the Syrian Red Crescent and the Syria Trust for Development.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
