In 1994, food assistance provided by WFP reached 57 million poor and hungry people. Eighty-two per cent of total WFP resources went to low income food deficit countries; the share to least developed countries was 52 per cent. Such resources support both relief and development.
On the development side, WFP food aid has been an effective means of transferring income to the poor and encouraging collective action in poor communities. Currently, some 225 development projects with an aggregate commitment of $2.6 billion are being supported in over 80 developing countries (see fig. 13).
On the emergency side, WFP responds to food shortages by relying on its network of country offices and on its expertise in transport, logistics and procurement. During 1994, WFP provided relief assistance at a value of over $1 billion to the victims of man-made and natural disasters in over 40 countries.
In 1994, WFP managed $1.5 billion of resources -- in food commodities and cash -- in support of the hungry and poor throughout the developing world. Over 32 million victims of man-made and natural disasters benefited from WFP assistance in 1994. Some 16 million people participated in food-for-work projects in support of agricultural and rural development. Over 8 million people received supplementary feeding through WFP-assisted education, training, health and nutrition projects.
About 80 per cent of WFP relief assistance in 1994 was provided to victims of disasters coming out of civil strife or cross-border wars -- some 8.5 million refugees and 16.5 million internally displaced people, representing 50 per cent of the world's population of those two groups. More than 7 million people were victims of drought and other natural disasters. Some 64 per cent of total WFP relief operations were in support of needy people in Africa. The single biggest operation was in Burundi and Rwanda, costing $242 million, or 22 per cent of total relief expenditures. This operation, associated with tragic loss of life on a massive scale, continues to be an urgent focus of attention for the United Nations today, not only in Burundi and Rwanda but also in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Zaire. The Liberia regional programme, costing $96 million, provided assistance to refugees and displaced persons in Liberia and in four neighbouring countries involved in the crisis.
Elsewhere in the world, major emergencies faced by WFP included the former Yugoslavia, where people continued to face food shortages and real poverty as a result of unresolved conflicts. WFP operations in that region amounted to $149 million. Afghanistan represents another country that is still in a state of chronic food insecurity in the absence of peace. The WFP regional operations in support of Afghan refugees and displaced people cost $95 million in 1994.
The number, scale and duration of emergencies and disasters, particularly those caused by armed conflict, have escalated alarmingly in recent years. In 1994, two out of three tons of WFP-provided food aid were distributed as relief assistance, and only one ton was used in support of development projects. Five years ago it was the reverse. With fewer resources for development, "silent" emergencies, in which people live in abject poverty and chronic food insecurity, can quickly turn into acute emergencies. Relief assistance alone does not change the vulnerability of poor people to the next emergency. WFP is therefore making a deliberate effort to identify ways to increase the linkages between its relief and development assistance by integrating disaster mitigation elements into development projects, developing capacity-building elements into relief operations, and strengthening disaster preparedness through vulnerability mapping, better early warning and institutional development.
The Programme's approach to reducing problems associated with humanitarian emergencies is to collaborate in efforts aimed at prevention rather than cure. Wherever possible, food aid is used to support development goals. Africa and Asia continue to receive the largest shares of WFP development assistance -- 40 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively. However, WFP development resources continue to decline in both absolute and relative terms with respect to emergency operations. Of the target of $1.5 billion for WFP regular development resources for the biennium 1993-1994 (approved by the Economic and Social Council and the FAO Council, and endorsed by the General Assembly and the FAO Conference) only two thirds was realized. As a result, the implementation of projects was often delayed. Moreover, WFP has been unable to support all approved projects at the level originally planned, as donors have increasingly tied and designated their development funds.
Food purchases have increased significantly during the last five years. In 1994, WFP purchased a record 1.4 million tons of food, almost half of all the commodities distributed by the Programme. Sixty per cent of the food commodities were bought in developing countries, maintaining the Programme's position as the largest contributor to South-South trade in the United Nations system.
WFP cooperates with other multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental organizations at all stages of its activities. In 1994, significant progress was made in ensuring greater collaboration in relief operations. Joint assessments of refugee food needs (with UNHCR) and emergency needs (with FAO) continued to be an essential part of the work of WFP. WFP-assisted development projects in 17 countries benefited from collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). WFP signed a first memorandum of understanding on joint working arrangements for emergency relief operations with a major international non-governmental organization and will seek to conclude similar agreements with other non-governmental organizations in the future.
The approach of WFP has been notably strengthened by the adoption of principles and guidelines for a country-based programme, which includes resourcing levels, and a criteria for project approval. Resource arrangements are being addressed to improve predictability, accountability and transparency, as well as actual resource levels. The General Regulations of the Programme are being amended in the light of General Assembly resolutions 47/199 of 22 December 1992 and 48/162 of 20 December 1993.
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