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In Numbers
7,431 mt of food, including specialized nutritious food, distributed
USD 21 million cash-based transfers made
USD 21.4 million for six months (February – July 2023) net funding requirements
61,397 people assisted in January 2023
Operational Updates
• WFP’s refugee response in the Mbera camp: WFP delivered food and cash assistance to some 58,000 highly vulnerable refugees (45 percent women), including 2,800 who had newly arrived. The distribution will cover January and February food needs with a ration of 450 MRU per person (equivalent to USD 13). To treat moderate acute malnutrition in the camp, close to 600 children aged 6-59 months (50 percent girls) received specialized nutritious food. As for inside-camp school feeding, WFP provided a porridge of fortified food to some 5,300 students (50 percent girls) in the eight schools of the camp. Before the distributions, information about WFP’s new strategy (with monthly distributions, customized cash and in-kind rations per group and increased capacity building and resilience for refugees and host communities) for food assistance was also introduced to the beneficiaries and partners.
• 2023 lean season response: WFP prepared its urban response campaign, in coordination with partners from the Government of Mauritania, Germany, and the USA. This campaign aims to provide cash transfers to some 20,500 households in the capital city of Nouakchott to help improve the food security status of the most vulnerable. The official launch of the event is scheduled for 02 February at one of the distribution sites. WFP will deploy a team of ten staff to monitor the cash distribution.
• School feeding activities: WFP assisted around 400 schools in three different wilayas (regions) with two hot meals per day for schoolchildren. In addition, the System Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) exercise was finalised with workshops to bring together all national stakeholders. The capability of national mechanisms related to school feeding activities was assessed and directions for improvement were discussed. A mission from the Regional Bureau for Western Africa also assisted with the preparation and facilitation of the workshops.
• Food assistance for assets (FFA) programme: WFP held training workshops for WFP staff, government officials, and other partners in Sélibaby from 23 to 27 January on the use of drones for humanitarian applications. Meanwhile, the partnership agreement between WFP and the Ministry of Agriculture was finalised. This agreement will contribute to the continuous implementation of resilience activities and food security in Mauritania.
• Capacity strengthening activities: WFP continued supporting the institutional and operational processes related to the Social Protection system. The annual National Response Plan, for example, is under drafting for the 2023 lean season. In addition, WFP, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank pursued bringing the FNRCAN (the national response system’s financial tool) into effect, so that the Social Protection system could better utilise financial resources within the structure. On the same note, WFP and the World Bank collaborated to use Tazour’s payment platform, which is linked to the Social Registry, to optimise timely targeting and reduce distribution costs.
• The United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) transported 78 passengers and about 190 kg of cargo connecting Nouakchott to Kiffa, Nema, and Bassikounou, through 30 in-country rotations.
UNHAS also received the flight and landing authorization for Sélibaby and assessed the runway on 29 January. The service to Sélibaby will be effective in February to satisfy transportation requests brought up by various partners.