In Numbers

611,920 people assisted in December 2020

2,811 mt of food distributed

US$ 2.5 million in cash-based transfers made

US$ 39.9 million in net funding requirements for all operations over next six months (January – June 2021)

Operational Updates

• Response to COVID-19: Myanmar saw a steady decline in reported new daily COVID-19 cases in December, from over 1,100 new cases per day in the first week, to around 700 new cases per day in the final week. On 31 December, WFP phased out its short-term assistance for returning Myanmar migrants in government-managed quarantine sites at the Myawaddy gate bordering Thailand after eight months of WFP assistance. Meanwhile, WFP will continue to provide assistance at selected quarantine and treatment sites in Rakhine and Yangon until the end of January 2021. Cumulatively, WFP has reached 99,700 people in 12 out of 14 states through this activity, including 75,900 returning migrants.

With the resumption of domestic commercial flights in mid-December, WFP phased out its domestic passenger flights. Meanwhile, WFP’s weekly international flights connecting Yangon, Vientiane and Kuala Lumpur will continue to operate until full international commercial flights are restored.

• Chin and Rakhine: In conflict-affected areas of southern Chin State, WFP provided emergency food and nutrition assistance to 8,600 internally displaced people (IDP) in Paletwa and Samee towns. WFP also provided rice to 5,000 vulnerable host community members in Paletwa and delivered cash assistance to some 800 IDPs in isolated rural villages in Meeza Town. WFP received the green light from the authorities for additional delivery of food commodities and prepositioned 720 mt of food in Paletwa.

In central Rakhine, during December, WFP distributed assistance, using electronic cash-based transfers to 35,500 newly-displaced people affected by conflict between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army.

In addition, WFP provided food and cash assistance to 120,100 food-insecure people, including 28,900 children aged 6-59 months and 5,440 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) with fortified blended food.

In northern Rakhine, WFP assisted 103,260 people with emergency food and nutrition assistance, including 18,000 children aged 6-59 months and 3,240 PLW during the month of December.

• Kachin and Shan: In December, WFP provided relief assistance to 32,300 IDPs in Kachin State and 14,600 IDPs in Shan State, complemented by nutrition interventions.

Source: World Food Programme