UN agency restores full rations in Syria with boost in donor funding

29 February 2016 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced today that new funding pledged during a conference in London earlier this month will enable the agency to fully reinstate its food assistance to Syrians.

The record pledge of $675 million made during the 'Supporting Syria and the Region Conference' will support a "comprehensive restoration" of food assistance for refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt from March until the end of the year, WFP said in a press release today.

"On behalf of the Syrian people whose lives have been torn apart by the conflict, we thank those world leaders who stepped up in London. Their generosity means we are able to fully meet the immediate basic food assistance needs of 1.8 million refugees in the region and 4.5 million Syrians inside the country who rely on WFP assistance every day," said WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin.

The funds will also enable WFP to provide a full food basket for families inside Syria from April until October 2016.

WFP noted that the pledges will also support increased school meals and other in-kind activities in Syria that will "help restore hope for a better future for the millions of people affected by the crisis."