Niger: Monaco takes part in the launch of operation Blanket Feeding

The Government of Monaco’s Office of International Cooperation, for whom food security is one of its four intervention areas, has supported the malnutrition prevention programme, Blanket Feeding, run by the DNPGCA’s Food Crisis Unit, since 2016 in the Diffa region, and since 2018 in the Zinder region. Financial support for DNPGCA has been renewed for the 2019-2021 period.

The ceremony, presided over by Mrs Zeinabou Hadari, Assistant Director of the Office of Niger’s Prime Minister, marked the launch of the distribution of fortified flour to households affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which specifically targets food-insecure and nutritionally vulnerable children aged between 6 and 23 months over a two-month period. 

Operation Blanket Feeding will reach approximately 23,800 households, including 16,660 children. Mrs Hadari commended the invaluable support provided by DNPGCA’s technical and financial partners in regard to strengthening the resilience of vulnerable populations.

On this occasion, Monaco, represented by Mr Abdoulaye Douka, the Monegasque Cooperation’s Coordinator in Niger, also handed over hygiene kits to the DNPGCA Food Crisis Unit as part of the efforts to combat and prevent COVID-19.

The DNPGCA, which is under the Office of the Niger Prime Minister, is the body entrusted with the operational coordination of prevention, mitigation, management, and early recovery efforts in regard to food, nutritional and pastoral crises in Niger. This mechanism forms part of the national development policies, including the national food security and agricultural development strategy, the 3N initiative “Nigeriens Nurturing Nigeriens”.

Representatives of the European Union, GIZ (German Cooperation) and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg also attended the ceremony.