France has provided a financial aid of one million Euros to the World Food Programme (WFP) in order to support emergency operations in the Eastern country of DRC, plagued by fighting between the Congolese military and armed groups.
The financing agreement was signed Monday, October 15 between the French Minister for Francophonie, Yamina Benguigui, and the representative of Pam Kanyaricunya. The agreement was signed 10 kilometers away from Goma in North Kivu. This town is presently a home to about fifteen thousand displaced families including some eleven thousand others who are assisted by humanitarian.
Those presently seeking refuge in the area had fled the territory of Rutshuru, which has become a war between the military and rebels of the Movement of 23 March (M23) since last May. Pam officials said that the contribution of France will enable them to purchase more than one thousand tons of food to carry in the region. This assistance will be distributed to nearly one hundred thousand people arrived at Kanyaricunya since last September.
In total, more than five hundred thousand IDPs have been registered in the provinces of North and South Kivu between January and August 2012 and are all fed by Pam.
The UN agency said it needs about 66.3 million Euros to support all these people in need. After the signing of this agreement, Yamina Benguigui Minister also visited the displaced Kanyaruchinya where he stated that France was on their side. Yamina Benguigui said in a statement that all the forces, including the European Union and also the DRC must mobilize themselves in order to restore peace in this part of the Republic. He also make mention of the need for the various camps that has been displaced for the victims of the war to disappear.
Earlier this year, the world food programme (WEP) has distributed on energy biscuits to nearly eight thousand displaced Kanyaruchinya and Kibati, ten kilometers north of Goma on the road to Rutshuru. The food was energy emergency assistance for three days for the thousands of victims who seek refuge. But however the WEP had faced some difficulties during the process and said they will not be able to take charge of the newly displaced if the influx of people continues. The financial aid given by the French government will help a lot in supporting emergency operations in that part of the country.
