WFP cut on funding 'disastrous' for starving Kenyans

World Food Programme plans to cut down its funding for Kenya due to the global recession is disastrous and spell doom for millions of starving people, humanitarian organisations said on Sunday.

East African Association of Grant Makers and 19 affiliated groups said in a statement by the Chief Executive Officer Ms Lucy Githaiga that WFP decision would be catastrophic, although the economic meltdown is a challenge to philanthropy.

The effect of the recession will on Monday be the subject of discussion at an African governments and stakeholders forum under the African Association of Public Administration and Management at the Kenya Institute of Administration.

WFP said last week it was being forced to reduce support due to budgetary deficits, soaring world food prices and the economic meltdown, factors which have frustrated its efforts to feed millions of people around the world, including Kenya.

AAPAM secretariat communique said they will discuss the effects of the global recession in the wake of donor withdrawals, now spelling doom for millions of people facing starvation.

The WFP statement in London last week coincided with the first anniversary of the global financial crisis.

WFP executive director Josette Sheeran admitted that it faced challenges meeting its obligations adding that “we will – in October – have to cut our services throughout the world, including to half of those we are trying to reach in Kenya.”

In August, WFP appealed for at least US$230 million to provide emergency food assistance in the next six months to 3.8 million Kenyans affected by drought and subsequent high food prices.

Ms Githaiga said philanthropy has been adversely affected by the recession but urged WFP reconsider its reduction measures.

“There are more hungry people in the world and less food aid than ever before. For the world’s most vulnerable, the perfect storm is hitting with a vengeance,” said the statement.

The statements said African countries were like ostriches “burying their heads in the sand” and acting as if the crisis would not reach them.

“The world economy is now gripped by the worst recession ever witnessed in the past fifty years.” AAPAM statement said.

It said that the global financial crisis has spread rapidly since 2008, leading to a global downturn of uncertain severity and duration.

AAPAM explains that the impact of financial sector turmoil on real activity has become increasingly evident and affecting other advanced economies, emerging markets and low-income countries, including those in Africa.

The meeting is expected to put African countries on the spot with political leadership and public administration institutions in African countries being called upon to have a duty and responsibility to design and implement policies and stimulus plans which are likely to minimize the adverse effects of the global economic recession.

It explains that the conference will explore the appropriate frameworks which would enable the political leadership and public bureaucracies to manage policies formulated specifically to prevent the deepening of the recession or alleviate the economic crisis.

Government revenues are expected to suffer as economic activity slows and commodity prices fall. In many African countries, however, the ability to offset adverse shocks through spending depends upon higher donor support.

Ms Githaiga concurred with AAPAM observation that declines in donor support and tighter financing conditions will impose further pressures on African governments’ budgets.

They said many countries will need to increase spending to protect the poor, and additional spending may arisefrom economic downturn on African countries.

The 31st AAPAM round table conference will also address the impact of the responses and outcomes and, as well, suggest the appropriate approaches to enhancing the readiness of the public service in responding to the current and future situations of global economic crises.