WFP Offices Open

Feb 26, 2002

VICE-PRESIDENT Dr. Wandira Kazibwe and Catherine Bertini, the executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), yesterday inaugurated the five-floor WFP regional office for Eastern, Southern and the Horn of Africa in Kampala.

By John OdyekVICE-PRESIDENT Dr. Wandira Kazibwe and Catherine Bertini, the executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), yesterday inaugurated the five-floor WFP regional office for Eastern, Southern and the Horn of Africa in Kampala.Bertini, whose 10-year term ends in March, said the office was the largest in the world and will cover 16 countries in the region. WFP has two other offices in West Africa.Bertini said Uganda was chosen to host the bureau after an invitation from President Yoweri Museveni. She said Uganda also has a good communication network, is secure, has good schools and housing facilities, ahead of Ethiopia and Kenya who also bid to house the offices.About one million people in Uganda need food aid from WFP.Last year WFP bought over 48,800 metric tonnes of food valued at US$8.2m (sh14b) from Uganda and distributed it within the region. Kazibwe encouraged women to take part in development activities. She criticised men for marrying many wives and having many children they cannot look after.She said by offering the plot of land and offices to WFP, the Government was not selling the country to foreigners. She said the country would instead benefit more if the land was developed and jobs created.Earlier, Bertini signed an agreement with Uganda in regard to hosting the regional bureau. The function took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices at Embassy House, Kampala.The State Minister for International Affairs, Tom Butime, signed on behalf of Uganda. Bertini told journalists that there was likely to be a food shortage in Southern Africa because the harvest was declining. She said wars, poverty, HIV/Aids, natural disasters were affecting many parts of Africa.Ends

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