Iraq News Now

In Numbers

305,579 people assisted in June 2019

1,080 mt of food assistance distributed

USD 2.51 million cash-based transfers made

USD 70.8 million six months (July–December 2019) WFP net funding requirements

Operational Updates

• In June, WFP delivered food assistance to 305,579 people in 10 governorates, reaching 85.5 percent of the monthly target of 357,251 people. This is partly due to some returns of IDPs in Ninewa governorate.
In addition, since the refugee targeting exercise ended in February, WFP has been reaching a lower number of refugees than initially planned, as the needs have proved lower than expected.

• As a result of the increased coordination with the Government and new donor contributions, WFP will return to a 4-week distribution cycle from 1 July, after being forced to move to a 6-week cycle since March 2019 due to a lack of resources. Messaging is being shared with assisted people through Communication with Communities (CwC).

• Crop fires continue to be reported throughout the country. There has been no impact on WFP operations, but the food security and overall security situation continue to be closely monitored.

• After several months, Qayarah Bridge, Ninewa Governorate, in the north-west of the country, reopened in late June for vehicles and trucks, allowing for the regular delivery of food items to large IDP camps in Mosul, which had been delayed.

• Under the trial project aiming at the modernization of the Public Distribution System of food, registration of citizens by iris scanning started in Anbar. About 60 percent of the people that will receive assistance have already been scanned. Roll-out will continue in AlMuthana, Sadr city in Baghdad and Thi-Qar in July.

• Following the assessment mission on the feasibility of transitioning from e-vouchers to Mobile Money Transfers (MMT), and the recommendation to switch to MMT in all 13 camps assessed (for approximately 50,000 IDPs and 33,500 refugees), SIM card distributions began in the camps under transition.