WFP concludes operation in Lebanon

'Over three months, WFP provided nearly 13,000 tons of food to hundreds of thousands of Lebanese in the south, in Beirut's southern suburb of Dhahiya, the Bekaa Valley and in other areas of Lebanon where displaced people took refuge,' said Zlatan Milisic, WFP emergency coordinator for Lebanon.

'The Lebanese government will take care of the few remaining pockets that may need some assistance to secure their basic food needs, but for WFP our mission is complete,' said Milisic, who takes pride in how WFP geared up in a country where it had no office for many years to an operation run by 150 national and international staff within a couple of weeks. 'It was amazing to see how we cobbled it all together. It is sad to leave but we should not stay one day longer than needed,' he added.

'The human and economic losses are staggering, but I have faith in the people's strength and resilience. I am confident that the Lebanese people will overcome this latest tragedy,' said Milisic.

Due to the swift return of the displaced to their homes and other signs of improvement in the country, United Nations agencies - WFP among them - had already scaled down their activities. WFP's decision to close operations was given added impetus by the findings of a WFP food security and nutrition assessment report which noted that while some people are still suffering the effects of war, food is available at affordable prices and nutritional levels are good.

The assessment team noted, however, that some people face continuing hardship. They include day workers, fishermen and some farmers in the south, particularly growers of fruit, vegetables and cash crops such as tobacco.

WFP has been focusing on those in need in the southern suburbs of Beirut, the war-torn south of Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. The majority of beneficiaries have received rations of wheat flour or bread, canned meat, high-energy biscuits and vegetable oil - either where they sought refuge during the fighting or following their return home.

In addition, WFP organised logistics on behalf of the UN humanitarian community in Lebanon. This involved transporting relief supplies by land, sea or air.

Thomas Keusters, who headed the logistics operation, said: 'A large part of our efforts involved moving non-food items into and within Lebanon on behalf of other agencies and non-government organizations, including fuel, shelter material, water and hygiene and medical equipment. In all, WFP moved over 2,000 tons of humanitarian non-food items.'

For its food operations, WFP received funding from the following countries: Germany US$2.55 million, Saudi Arabia US$2 million, the European Commission US$1.28 million, France US$1.28 million, Australia US$1.04 million, Canada US$885,000, the United States US$649,000, Japan US$500,000, Luxembourg US$314,000, Malaysia US$250,000, Denmark US$168,000, Greece US$179,000, Iceland US$100,000, Lebanon US$26,000 and Singapore US$25,000.

For its logistics operation, it received US$17.8 million from the following donors: the European Commission US$3.8 million, the United States US$2.8 million, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund US$2.5 million, Netherlands US$1.8 million, France US$1.28 million, Australia US$1.24 million, Norway US$1.1 million, United Kingdom US$746,000, Denmark US$673,000, Canada US$664,000, Belgium US$641,000, Spain US$628,000 and Germany US$510,000.