Lack of money threatens World Food Programme work in Niger

Niamey (AFP) - The World Food Programme warned Thursday that it could be forced to suspend humanitarian aid for malnourished infants in Niger from September because of a lack of money.

WFP said a shortage of funds was threatening all its activities in Niger, one of the world's poorest and least developed countries, where more than four out of every 10 children are chronically malnourished.

"Our resources are exhausted and if we don't have immediate contributions, by the end of September it will be impossible to continue our help to malnourished children," WFP spokesman Vigno Hounkali told AFP in Niamey.

"We have already reduced food rations to impoverished populations."

Help for school canteens and rural development work could also be halted, Hounkali said.

WFP said it needed $21.4 million (19.4 million euros) to help Niger's most vulnerable people from September to December.

The funding shortage is already having an effect, with malnourished children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women all receiving only half-rations, WFP said.