UN Halves Food Aid to Syria as Funding Crisis Deepens

The World Food Programme (WFP) has sharply cut emergency food assistance in Syria due to a lack of funding. The number of people receiving support fell from 1.3 million to 650,000 in May, and humanitarian operations were reduced to half of Syria's governorates.

The WFP has also suspended its bakery support program, which had provided subsidised bread to four million people a day in the country's most vulnerable areas.

The organisation warns that conditions in Syria remain critical despite a reduction in fighting in some areas following the fall of the Bashar Assad regime in late 2024. Some 7.2 million people are suffering from acute food shortages, with 1.6 million facing severe hunger. Many families are cutting portion sizes or skipping meals altogether.

The funding shortfall stems primarily from foreign aid cuts by the United States under President Donald Trump's administration, compounded by reductions in humanitarian budgets by other countries.

The crisis is also affecting Syrian refugees in the region. In Jordan, 135,000 refugees have lost cash assistance, while Egypt and Lebanon are also reporting restrictions. The WFP estimates it will need an additional $189m to sustain aid in Syria until November.

(reuters, max)