NAMIBIA: WFP to assist Caprivi flood victims

Photo: IRIN

The Caprivi region has been hard hit by floods

JOHANNESBURG, 2 June 2003 (IRIN) - The Namibian government has asked the World Food Programme (WFP) to assist with food distributions to some 12,000 people affected by recent floods in the northeastern Caprivi region. "Subject to donor approval, around 127 mt of WFP food will be transferred from Lubango in Angola to Nambian government warehouses in Katima Mulilo [on the border with Angola]," WFP said in its latest situation report. "The pulses, vegetable oil, corn-soya blend and salt provided by WFP will supplement food commodities, such as tinned meat and maize meal, already being provided under the Namibian government's assistance programme to around 12,000 flood-affected people," the agency noted. The government of Namibia had so far been able to mount its own emergency and disaster relief response to a series of shocks that have hit the country, said WFP Namibia head Abdirahman Meygag. "They did not appeal [for international assistance] for last year's drought. This year the government has done an excellent job in putting all their resources together to respond to the floods in Caprivi. They're using choppers and boats to deliver food [to flood affected people]." Meygag, who is currently in the Caprivi region, said he would visit Katima Mulilo to conduct an "assessment and set up distribution plans". "Caprivi was hard hit by drought last year, it is one of the least developed regions in Namibia, and has the highest HIV prevalence rate in Namibia - 42 percent - so the floods have really worsened the conditions of the 12,000 affected," Meygag explained. He said WFP was "fortunate in that we were able to act quickly" once the official request had come from the government. The WFP food being brought from Angola would be "enough for three months' rations for the 12,000," Meygag added.