CANADA BOOSTS FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR ETHIOPIA

News Release

December 20, 2004 Ottawa -- The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, today announced a contribution to the World Food Programme (WFP) of over $20 million for new initiatives to address poverty and hunger in Ethiopia. The funds will be provided by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). "It has been 20 years since the Ethiopian famine, "said Minister Carroll. "Though Ethiopia has made progress in self-reliance and long-term food security, challenges remain. The new Canadian contributions to the UN World Food Programme will continue to address poverty and chronic food shortages in Ethiopia. They complement other food security investments that Canada is making to accompany Ethiopia's considerable efforts in this critical area." The funding announced today will be allocated as follows: $15 million to WFP's Managing Environmental Resources to Enable Transitions for Sustainable Livelihoods, which will improve food security for over one million Ethiopian families, while protecting and improving environmental assets; and, $5.57 million to WFP's school feeding program to purchase, transport, and distribute food to school-aged children and other vulnerable groups in Ethiopia. WFP's school feeding activities are aimed at enabling households in food-insecure areas to invest in the education of children, especially girls. They are also aimed at improving the nutritional status of urban HIV/AIDS-affected households headed by women. This contribution is part of a larger Canadian commitment of $75 million to WFP for school feeding initiatives in five African countries: Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Senegal, and Tanzania. WFP is the largest international food aid organization working to combat hunger in underdeveloped nations with severe food shortages. It provides the food and the logistics support necessary to get food aid to those in need. Funding for these initiatives was provided for in the March 2004 federal budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework. - 30 - Information: Andrew Graham Director of Communications Office of the Minister of International Cooperation Telephone: (819) 953-6238 Media Relations Office Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Telephone: (819) 953-6534 E-mail: info@acdi-cida.gc.ca Web site: www.cida.gc.ca

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2016-12-15

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CANADA BOOSTS FOOD ASSISTANCE FOR ETHIOPIA

News Release

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