Jordan's Princess Haya launches new food emergency fund

Rome, Jan 22 : Jordan's Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein has contributed to the launch of a special fund to allow the rapid purchase and transportation of high energy biscuits to feed victims of sudden onset emergencies, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced.

"Princess Haya's generosity is a life-saver. When an emergency happens, WFP must deliver food quickly, and this effort will put our emergency response into another gear so we can save lives anywhere, anytime," said WFP Executive Director David Beasley in a statement.

The highly fortified biscuits provide people caught in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters or conflict with an immediate source of nutritious food that is packed with energy, WFP said.

Princess Haya's support for the new fund will allow WFP to procure and pre-position high energy biscuits at the UN Humanitarian Response Depot, located in Dubai for its strategic location that can further reduce emergency response time, according to the agency.

Most recently, high energy biscuits were delivered to respond to the immediate needs of Rohingya refugees fleeing conflict in Myanmar and crossing into Bangladesh, WFP said.

"Princess Haya is a true champion for people facing hunger and poverty, and our appreciation for her dedication and support for WFP grows each year," said Beasley.

Princess Haya is Chairperson of the International Humanitarian City in Dubai and currently serves as a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

In 2015, Princess Haya received the WFP Hunger Hero Award at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

An Oxford graduate and former WFP Ambassador Against Hunger, she has visited WFP operations in many countries, including Cambodia, Malawi, and Syria.