Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2011-07-27

Food Aid Assistance from the World Food Programme (WFP) to Sri Lanka for 2011

- the World Food Programme has agreed to provide food aid assistance under Protracted Relief and Recovery Operation (PRRO) and Emergency Operation (EMOP) to Sri Lanka and Letters of Understanding are to be signed for the programmes between the Government and the WFP. The objectives of the programmes are to support the Government in its efforts to provide relief to the affected people and for rehabilitation activities. The two programmes consist of the following:

* Mother-Child Health Nutrition;
* Food for Education for all Primary Students in selected Schools;
* Food for Work Programmes; and
* Food Distribution for the Displaced people in Camps.

The PRRO programme will be implemented in Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaituvu, Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts in the Northern Province and selected areas in the Eastern Province and the estimated number of beneficiaries would be 371,000. The EMOP programme will be implemented in selected Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee Districts in the Eastern Province and Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa District in the NCP covering 500,000 beneficiaries. The proposal made by H.E. the President to sign the Letters of Understanding with the WFP in a sum of US $39,755,501 and US $8,869,131 to implement the WFP Food Aid Programmes in Sri Lanka, was approved by the Cabinet.