Iraq News Now

In Numbers

• 327,433 people assisted in April 2020 - 18 mt of food assistance distributed* - USD 3.21 million distributed through cash-based transfers - USD 57.2 million six months net funding requirements (June – November 2020)

Operational Update & COVID-19 Response

• In April, WFP delivered food and predominantly cashbased assistance to 306,371 people in 13 governorates, reaching 99 percent of the target of 329,413 people.

• Anti-government demonstrations continue in Iraq (except in the Kurdistan Region) but at a much lower level due to fears regarding the spread of COVID-19 and enforcement of related curfews. The PM-designate Mustafa al-Kadhimi plans to form a government in May. In other developments, as well as the increase in COVID19 cases, there has been an increase in incidents involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

• To help mitigate against COVID-19, a partial curfew continues across the country. WFP’s provision of lifesaving food assistance to IDPs and refugees is ongoing. Resilience programmes are suspended. The school meals programme is also suspended due to nationwide school closures, but take-home rations were distributed to 23,862 vulnerable students and their families in the last week of April, using the remaining school meal supplies in storage. The distributions took place in Ninewa, Kirkuk, Salah al-Din, Diyala, Wassit, Anbar, Qadissiya, Thi-Qar, Al-Muthanna and Basra governorates. The main food items distributed were water, juice, dates and cheese. The quantities received by families were sufficient for a minimum of two weeks, and all items are consumed during Ramadan.

• In response to the impact of COVID-19, WFP has worked with UNHCR and partners to identify and include an additional 35,000 Syrian refugees and 10,000 IDPs in relief food assistance, and to continue to reach a further 25-30 percent of IDPs who were at the borderline to self-sufficiency before the pandemic. Many families who were previously close to no longer requiring assistance are being pushed into food insecurity. Key messages have been shared with people assisted, to ensure they are aware of the changes. The adjusted plan includes an additional requirement of USD 31.9 million to meet increased humanitarian needs due to the pandemic.

• In addition, WFP is preparing Emergency Livelihoods projects to reach 300,000 additional vulnerable Iraqis in peri-urban areas including Baghdad, Basra,
Mosul, and potentially Thi-Qar and Qadissiya – who have lost their jobs and are unable to work during the pandemic due to COVID-19 induced restrictions. This is to help provide immediate economic support.

• The Ministry of Migration and Displacement (MoMD) covered more than 95 percent of the IDP camp population in the period January – April 2020, distributing a monthly emergency package of 20.3 kg. WFP’s coordination continued accordingly to provide smaller, complementary “top-ups” of assistance. From January to April, this has resulted in significant savings of USD 5.1 million. MoMD also indicated a planned expansion of their assistance to refugees which started in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah and Duhok (except Bardarash) camps in April. This is the first time MoMD has provided assistance to refugees.

• Following violence in northeast Syria in late 2019, 21,535 people fled into Iraq. The unofficial border crossing at Sihela remains closed due to COVID-19.
WFP has delivered food assistance for almost all 21,535 refugees who arrived in Bardarash and Gawilan camps in Duhok, Kurdistan Region. In both camps,
WFP distributed ready-to-eat food packages (IRR – Immediate Response Ration) for new arrivals, and onemonth rations (FFR – Food Family Ration) after two days. From March, a “hybrid” of in-kind food / cash assistance was distributed to the northeast Syrian refugees, to be followed by full cash assistance in June.

• WFP is exploring a mobile based e-voucher solution linked to SCOPE that would leverage Mobile Network Operator (MNO) delivery channels as an alternative to SCOPECARD. This would provide for a contactless redemption process to mitigate against COVID-19 health risks, for people assisted and merchants. WFP is also pioneering new “cashless transactions” for people to shop directly from their mobile phones in camps, eliminating the need to redeem physical cash entitlements.

• WFP is continuing to arrange for a contingency stock of in-kind food assistance: Family Food Rations (FFRs) for one month for 330,000 people which are expected to be in country by mid-June, in addition to ready-to-eat Immediate Response Rations (IRRs) for 60,000 people that have been locally procured and pre-positioned in WFP’s warehouse.