AzerTag, Azerbaijan
March 11 2005
AZERBAIJAN KEEN ON CONTINUATION OF WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HUMANITARIAN
ASSISTANCE
[March 11, 2005, 11:36:17]
With the purpose to improve the state of health and nourishment of
the internally displaced people (IDP) Azerbaijan is interested in
continuation of the humanitarian assistance on the part of the World
Food Program. It was stated at the meeting of vice-premier, chairman
of the republican commission on international humanitarian assistance
Ali Hasanov with regional director of the World Food Program of the
United Nations (UN WFP) on the Near East, Central Asia and the
Eastern Europe Emir Abdullah.
Vice-premier, assessed productive activity of the Azerbaijan office
WPP functioning already for 12 years, has noted, that this
representative international program has started to work in the
heaviest for our country days when the Armenian military forces
occupied a number of regions of Azerbaijan and the peaceful
Azerbaijan population suddenly has turned to IDPs. For last years, by
the Program, food aid in volume of 90 thousand tons for amount of 60
million dollars has been rendered to the IDPs and needy layers of the
population. Within the framework of the food assistance program for
140 thousand of IDPs, accepted by Board of Directors in 2002, up to
the end of 2005 the help will be allocated at amount of 20 million
dollars. In May current year, mission of the Program, which will
familiarize with needs of the IDPs in regions, should arrive in
Azerbaijan.
Besides it, according to the realized programs in this year, it is
planned to allocate means at amount of 7 million dollars and 14
thousand tons of food aid. But, unfortunately, till now the sum on
purchase only 3 thousand tons of the foodstuffs has been allocated.
As noted Ali Hasanov, during the meeting of the President of
Azerbaijan with acting head of the World Food Program Mr. John Powell
had been mentioned questions of continuation of the project within 2
years.
At the meeting, also has been informed that the plight of the
Azerbaijan refugees has found reflection in the “Report on food
safety and estimation of nourishment”, conducted by the American
organization “Relief International” under the initiative of the
Program.