The UN World Food Program on Wednesday welcomed Canada's decision to deploy a frigate to Somalia to protect WFP food ships against piracy.
The UN food agency said ninety percent of WFP food assistance for Somalia arrives by sea.
"WFP is grateful for Canada's leadership in protecting our maritime lifeline from piracy -- this is a critical moment when more food is needed for a growing number of hungry," said WFP Country Director Peter Goossens in a statement.
Since a naval escort system began last November, WFP said no escorted ships carrying agency's food have been attacked. The last escorted ship loaded with WFP food arrived in Mogadishu in late June.
Canada stepped forward after WFP made a strong appeal for naval escorts in July. WFP said that it hoped other governments would step forward to take over from Canada once it completes its mission in a few weeks.
Frigates from France, Denmark and the Netherlands in succession have provided escorts for WFP ships from November last year until late June.
The naval escorts proved to be an effective deterrent against pirates, who have launched at least 24 attacks so far this year off Somalia's coast.
There were a total of 31 incidents off Somalia in 2007 -- the worst year on record for Somali piracy.
Without escorts, WFP's whole maritime supply route is under threat. Since naval escorts ended in late June, some shippers have refused to load WFP food for Somalia.
Canada has given 15.7 million U.S. dollars to WFP operations in Somalia since August 2006 including 5.4 million dollars in 2008, making it the third largest donor to WFP's operations in Somalia, as well as worldwide.
WFP said it urgently needs to double the amount of food it delivers to Somalia through the coming months so it can feed 2.4 million people by December.
Insecurity, drought, a succession of poor or failed harvests, the weakness of the Somali shilling against the dollar, coupled with rising food and fuel prices, are deepening the suffering of millions of people in Somalia and pushing hundreds of thousands into destitution.
Somalia has been devastated by conflict since 1991, when former President Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted.
Source:Xinhua
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