The United Nations World Food Programme today urged the international community to redouble its efforts in support of the agency's recently upscaled life-saving operation in the conflict-torn Central African Republic. In order to reach at least 230,000 people affected by the current crisis, WFP is urgently upgrading its logistics capacity at an additional operational cost of US$3.5 million over the next nine months. Twenty-five 6X6 all-terrain trucks are being moved to the country, as well as eight new temporary food storage structures and temporary office and living accommodation for WFP staff. Funding is also necessary for repairs to roads and bridges which are crumbling in decay. "The conflict in CAR has brought the private sector grinding almost to a complete halt as operators are not prepared to risk assets or further investments in the troubled regions," said WFP CAR Country Director Jean-Charles Dei. "The current infrastructure cannot cope with the scale of our new operation so we're going to have to do the job ourselves. And we need additional financial support to accomplish that, not only for WFP but also for other humanitarian organizations that need the means to reach people whose lives are at stake." WFP's current food assistance operation in CAR still requires a further US$25 million in addition to the new funds required to reinforce logistics. Donors to WFP's assistance operation in CAR include the United States (US$8.3 million), Multilateral funds (US$4.2 million) UN Central Emergency Response Fund (US$1.8 million -- CERF see: