Save the Children New Zealand’s Executive Director John Bowis said today, “The World Food Programme was importing 460,000 tons of food per month prior to the war. The British aid ship Sir Galahad had 70 tons of food on board - enough to feed Iraq for 6 minutes.

“It is essential that humanitarian agencies gain safe access to Iraq to avoid a humanitarian disaster. Save the Children and other aid agencies are vitally important as they have expertise and experience in providing humanitarian aid."

Umm Qasr was used in pre-war days as the entry point for food bought through the UN administered Oil for Food Programme. 16 million Iraqis are dependent on UN food rations, but with war disrupting that flow of food, Save the Children warns of a potential humanitarian disaster in Iraq.

Save the Children has been working in Iraq since 1991. Staff in northern Iraq report that families dependent on UN rations have at best 3 weeks before their rations run out. 1 in 5 are surviving day to day, with what little they can scrounge together.

Save the Children New Zealand is running an Emergency Appeal for Children in Iraq. Please act now by calling our freephone donation number 0800 167 168 or donate online by clicking here.

Save the Children Media Officer Nicole Amoroso is now in Umm Qsar and available for interview. Contact Save the Children on 04 385 6847 to find out more.