WFP hails China's food aid to refugees living in Kenya

Liu Xianfa (L), Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, and Annalisa Conte, the World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director and Representative for Kenya, shake hands during a handover certificate signing ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 23, 2018. The World Food Programme on Friday lauded China's financial support toward food and nutrition programs targeting refugees living in Kenya. (Xinhua/Jin Zheng)

NAIROBI, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday lauded China's financial support toward food and nutrition programs targeting refugees living in Kenya.

Annalisa Conte, the WFP Country Director and Representative for Kenya, thanked China for easing the burden of feeding the refugees amid dwindling funding from external sources.

Speaking at a handover certificate signing ceremony on a China-aided food assistance project, Conte said the 5-million-U.S.-dollar contribution from China in 2017 has eased the suffering of the displaced people living in Kenya.

"China has made tremendous contribution to WFP in 2017 with this 5 million dollars," Conte said, adding that "the contribution we received from China allowed us not to cut rations."

Conte noted that voluntary contributions from governments and private entities have made it possible for WFP to sustain emergency food aid to refugees from strife-torn Horn of African states who have settled in Kenya.

"This type of contribution from governments and in the case of China means those refugees will not go hungry for quite some time," said Conte.

She was joined by Liu Xianfa, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, and Guo Ce, Economic and Commercial Counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, during the ceremony.

"We are determined to make more contribution to help refugees who live in Kenya," said Liu.

Guo said Beijing valued a partnership with WFP to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among vulnerable populations.

"The Chinese government would within its capacity continue to support humanitarian programs in Kenya, as well as strengthen our partnership with WFP in fighting hunger," Guo said.