The United Nations World Food Programme has signed a cooperation agreement with the Netherlands to support strengthening the Government of Egypt’s capacity and efforts for social reform, particularly in its food subsidy programme.
Under the agreement, the Netherlands will provide a grant of US$500,000 over the coming two years to enhance capacity within the various government ministries to collect data on vulnerability and analyse it so that it can be used in social policy reform.
The funding will establish a Food Security Analysis and Monitoring Unit within the Ministry of Planning to provide adequate information about food insecurity and vulnerability. In addition, it will set up a Permanent Advisory Council within Egypt’s Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade which can provide decision-makers with information which will help them to effectively target beneficiaries in the food subsidy programme and assist in policy reforms.
“WFP’s long history of work with the food-insecure groups in Egypt and its global experience in targeted support to vulnerable populations will enable it to support the government’s efforts to reform its social programmes,” said WFP Egypt Country Director, Bishow Parajuli.
"The cooperation agreement intends to reduce subsidy costs and improve social safety nets in Egypt, which is essential to poverty eradication and economic growth,” added the Dutch Ambassador to Egypt, Tjeerd de Zwaan.
The Netherlands and WFP believe that improved targeting mechanisms and information systems are crucial to the development of a more effective and affordable social protection system in Egypt, where the poor are the primary beneficiaries of the programme.
The project is implemented with the World Bank and in co-operation with different ministries and institutions, in particular the Ministry of Supply and Trade, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Health, the National Nutrition Institute and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Since the establishment of the WFP in 1963, the UN agency has assisted Egypt during humanitarian crises and in development activities which improve the food-security status and quality of life for thousands of Egyptians, with particular emphasis on women and children. The total amount of assistance delivered over more than four decades amounts to US$637 million.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency: each year, we give food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs, including 61 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's poorest countries. WFP -- We Feed People.
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