The donations come after a recent warning by the World Food Programme (WFP) that only a quarter of its appeal for funds to feed millions of starving people in southern Africa, most of them in Zimbabwe, had been met.
"These two very generous donations come at a crucial time and will help us greatly in our efforts to get food to the growing number of people in need in Zimbabwe," WFP's Zimbabwe representative, Kevin Farrell was quoted as saying.
He said the money would be used to buy food stocks from the region, but that more donations were needed to avoid critical shortages early next year.
An estimated 5,5-million Zimbabweans will require emergency food aid before the next harvest in April 2004.
According to the statement the WFP has only received pledges covering 39% of the 346 000 t of food aid needed for its emergency operation in Zimbabwe.
And a recent UN humanitarian situation report said the food crisis in the southern African country was worsening, with a majority of districts having exhausted their food stocks.
The famine has been blamed on a combination of drought and what critics say is a poorly managed land reform programme launched by President Robert Mugabe, which has seen former white-owned commercial farms seized and handed over to black farmers. – Sapa-AFP.
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