Context

As of 2017, 1.6 million Venezuelans were living outside their country (IOM), driven by lack of access to food, medicine and health services, and/or political tensions (WFP Rapid Profiling, Colombia Nov-Dec 2018).

Colombia is the country most affected by population outflows. To date, over 1 million migrants from Venezuela have crossed the border and some 660,000 have stayed. In February 2018, the Government of Colombia has officially requested UN support to reinforce internal capacities and ensure an efficient response. On April 6, WFP declared a Level 2 Emergency

WFP response

A regional emergency preparedness operation was approved to strengthen preparedness activities in support of migrants from Venezuela. In Colombia, additional staff have been deployed to support the design of an emergency response. A budget revision of the Colombia Country Strategic Plan is being prepared under Strategic Outcome 2 (Crisis Response).

Budget revision objective: To ensure immediate lifesaving food and nutrition assistance to 350,000 people, while enabling community integration through: