The United Nations has decided to close its Southern African bureau at a challenging time for the region. This decision comes amid tensions between South Africa and the United States.
The bureau plays a crucial role in tackling severe drought conditions affecting the region, the worst in forty years. Despite getting most of its funding from the U.S., the organization is moving forward with this closure.
A report from Bloomberg reveals that over 26 million people in seven countries face the risk of food shortages before this year’s harvest in May. This shutdown was communicated to UN employees in an email from Global Executive Director Cindy McCain.
In the email, McCain stated, “We have reached the difficult decision to close WFP’s regional bureau for southern Africa in Johannesburg.” She emphasized that tough times require tough choices. The responsibilities of the Southern African bureau will shift to the East African bureau in Nairobi.
The Southern Africa Bureau plays a significant role in sourcing and transporting food. It obtains a large portion, over 60%, of its food and services from local suppliers. Countries like Zimbabwe and Mozambique rely heavily on this program, especially as climate change has hurt their agriculture, impacting 70% of corn production in the region.
Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia have all declared national disasters due to extreme drought conditions. In light of the merger, about 160 employees in the Johannesburg office were informed of the change, but the timeline for the closure was unexpected, with the office set to close on February 27th.
The World Food Program aims to provide food and financial assistance to those affected, hoping to reach over 7.2 million people this month alone.
