World Food Programme loses millions in Juba break-in

The World Food Programme, which has been operating in the conflict ridden South Sudanese city of Juba, has reported losses of about $28 million after more than 4,500 metric tons of food stored in their warehouse, trucks, generators and other relief items were looted.

The organization says before fighting began in Juba in early July, it had enough lifesaving food and nutrition assistance for about 220,000 people for a month.

“We are still in the process. It could be more, it could be something else, but this is what we are estimating at this time,” said George Fominyen, WFP spokesman in South Sudan

The warehouse on the west side of Juba serves as the WFP’s main logistical hub inside of South Sudan, and is used to supply WFP operations in the rest of the country. But now the organisation is looking for new facilities to continue its mission.

“It’s a quite challenging process. It’s something that we would have very much wanted to avoid at this time, when as you are aware, the last information that we have, in terms of food security, is that there are 5 million people are in need of food assistance,” said Fominyen.

President Salva Kiir had promised that an investigation into the looting would be launched. The WFP says it is hopeful that something concrete will come out of that.

AFP