The European Union (EU) and United States (US) Ambassadors to Lesotho will visit World Food Programme (WFP) project sites in the country next week.

Ambassador Peter Christiensen of EU will be in Butha-Buthe on Wednesday, while Ambassador Robert Nolan of US will visit Leribe on Thursday.

WFP Country Director and Representative in Lesotho, Mr. Bhim Udas in an interview, said the purpose of the visit is to observe food distribution to drought affected communities in the said districts.

He said, the visits follow the financial support from the US government and EU in response to Lesotho's food crisis, declared by the Prime Minister, Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili in July last year and an appeal for assistance from the country's development partners and friends.

'The funds were channeled through WFP for provision of food supply,' he said.

WFP Senior Programme Assistant, Ms. Kekeletso Mabeleng said the US government donated about M18.9 million. The donation included 227 metric tons (mt) of corn soya blend, 3000 mt of maize meal, 750 mt of pulses and 220 mt of vegetable oil.

She added that EU donated M14.7 million and WFP bought 178 mt of corn soya blend and 3,048 mt of maize meal.

Ms. Mabeleng stated that about 50,000 households will benefit for two months from the food aid.

She said in addition to the drought response, the US government has also provided 900 mt of food commodities to support WFP's operations in Lesotho this year.

Source: LENA 18/03/2008