DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- The World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday bought about 36,000 tonnes of maize worth some 9 million U.S. dollars from Tanzania's state-owned National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) for refugees sheltered in the western region of Kigoma.

The WFP Resident Representative for Tanzania Michael Dunford and the NFRA Acting Chief Executive Officer Vumilia Zikankuba signed an agreement for the purchase of the maize at an event witnessed by President John Magufuli in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.

A statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communication quoted Dunford as saying the 36,000 tonnes of maize purchased by WFP was part of 160,000 tonnes of maize bought by the UN food agency.

Dunford said the maize will be provided to refugees sheltered in the east African country and to neighboring countries facing food shortage.

For his part, President Magufuli praised WFP for buying the maize to support refugees living in the country.

In October last year, the United States announced a 21.3-million-U.S.-dollar support to the WFP and emergency food assistance for refugees in Tanzania.

Tanzania was sheltering nearly 300,000 refugees, many of whom were women and children. They have fled instability, conflict, and violence, in search of a safe place.