South Korea donates 21,000 tons of rice to aid refugees in Kenya: UN

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – South Korea donated 21,000 tons of rice, worth $14.2 million, to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in Kenya to support refugees and vulnerable schoolchildren.

The contribution, double the amount provided in 2023, will help sustain food assistance for over 565,000 refugees and school-going children in Dadaab and Kakuma camps, the WFP said in a statement on Tuesday.

Lauren Landis, WFP’s Kenya country director, welcomed the donation noting that the ”contribution arrives at a critical time when WFP’s resources are severely stretched and the needs rising fast.”

“This generous donation will make a tangible difference in the lives of thousands of people, providing them with much-needed sustenance during these challenging times,” she added.

Landis said that there is a growing demand for food aid as refugee and asylum seekers numbers in Kenya have surged to over 760,000, a 60% rise in the last five years.

Nam Sangkyoo, deputy ambassador of Korea to Kenya, reaffirmed Korea's ongoing commitment to addressing food insecurity.

“The Republic of Korea remains committed to supporting Kenya in its efforts to address food insecurity and malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable populations like refugees and asylum seekers,” Nam stated.

Dadaab refugee camp, located about 470 kilometers (292 miles) east of Nairobi, near the Somali border, currently hosts over 382,000 refugees, the majority of whom are from Somalia.

Kakuma refugee camp, situated approximately 720 kilometers (447 miles) northwest of Nairobi, near the South Sudanese border, is home to more than 286,000 refugees, many from South Sudan and other neighboring countries.

The remaining refugees, numbering in the tens of thousands, are spread across urban areas such as Nairobi, Mombasa, and Nakuru.