Russia hands over 1.6 thousand tons of grain to Ethiopia to help refugees

A ceremony was held at the main logistics center of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) in Adama, Ethiopia, during which Russia handed over 1,630 tons of wheat to the African republic for the needs of refugees. This was reported by the WFP press service on January 9.

"Ethiopia is hosting more than 1 million refugees, mainly from Somalia, South Sudan and Eritrea, as well as a new flow of refugees due to the conflict in Sudan. The worsening conflict in Sudan brings new arrivals every day, further increasing the need for vital humanitarian aid," Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Yevgeny Terekhin said at the ceremony.

He recalled that the countries have had fraternal relations for decades. In the second half of the 1980s, the USSR helped the African country, which then faced famine. Humanitarian cargoes were delivered by airplanes, helicopters and trucks. This tradition continues now.

The diplomat thanked WFP for the delivery and distribution of grain. Terekhin said that the Russian Federation annually finances the work of this UN program, transferring $60-70 million. These funds are used to buy products, including in Russia, and they are delivered to the "hot spots" of hunger. The Ambassador pointed out that close cooperation between donor countries and UN structures is of paramount importance for saving people around the world.

Terekhin drew attention to the fact that throughout the year about 800 thousand refugees receive only 60% of the food norm. Sudanese refugees who have arrived in Ethiopia since April 2023 are receiving full rations, and WFP plans to maintain this positive trend.

The UN program indicated that the donation from Russia will help it provide food support to 163,200 refugees in the Gambella region of Ethiopia. The inadequate supply of food to the refugees is due to the fact that WFP lacks funding and about a quarter of the people in need have to resort to begging, selling property and livestock.

Jennifer Bitonde, Deputy Director of WFP Ethiopia, stressed that the assistance from Russia came at a critical time for the organization and the UN program is deeply grateful to the people of the Russian Federation for their support and solidarity with the refugees in the African republic.

Earlier, on July 9, 2024, Oleg Kobyakov, director of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) office for relations with the Russian Federation, said that 17 more states could face a worsening food situation. Yemen, the Gaza Strip, Sudan, South Sudan, Sudan and other African countries have traditionally been points of famine.

Later, on September 25, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged to increase non-resource non-energy exports, including the supply of products abroad. Russia's potential in this area is very high, he emphasized.