WFP WELCOMES US$ 2 MILLION DONATION FROM RUSSIA TO ARMENIA
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
May 30 2007
YEREVAN – The United Nations World Food Programme today warmly
welcomed the delivery of 3,375 metric tons of wheat flour and 195
metric tons of vegetable oil, valued at US$2 million, donated by the
Russian Federation to support WFP’s operation to assist some 110,000
beneficiaries in Armenia.
"This donation to Armenia is very timely and has enabled us to continue
assisting the poorest communities," said WFP Armenia Country Director
Muzaffar Choudhery. "We are extremely grateful for Russia’s ongoing
commitment to our efforts to help those in need," he added.
Currently, WFP’s operation includes relief food distributions,
food-for-work, food-for-training and food-for-education in the
provinces of Gegharkunik, Lori, Shirak and Tavoush, as well as the
capital city of Yerevan.
The food donated by Russia has already arrived in Armenia and will
be immediately distributed in all four of WFP’s programme activities.
Food rations absorb the bulk of WFP assistance and reach beneficiaries
who are targeted through the Government’s vulnerability assessment
system, PAROS.
"In the current phase of WFP’s assistance to Armenia, such donor
support makes us feel confident that we will be able to continue
and conclude our mission in this country in a responsible manner,"
said Choudhery.
The country still faces major challenges in reducing poverty,
redistributing gains from economic development as well as ending
corruption and improving corporate governance. High unemployment,
occasional informal jobs and self-employment characterize the present
situation.
WFP has been providing food aid to Armenia since 1994, first to
the refugees from Azerbaijan and later to Armenia’s own vulnerable
population. To date, WFP’s food assistance totals US$79 million.
Donors to the WFP operation in Armenia between 2004 and 2007
include Russia (US$2 million), Switzerland (US$1.8 million),
Sweden (US$1.6 million), the United States (US$1.3 million), Japan
(US$402,000), Greece (US$512,000), Canada (US$51,000) and private
donors (US$214,000). A further US$3.5 million was received in
multilateral donations.
WFP is the world’s largest humanitarian agency: each year, we give
food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional
needs, including 58 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the
world’s poorest countries. WFP — We Feed People..
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For more information please contact (email address:
[email protected]):
Liana Kharatian, WFP/Armenia, Tel: +374-10- 580538, 564904 ext. 2024,
Mob. +374-91-407834
Tatyana Chubrikova, WFP/Moscow, Tel. +7-095-2323011, Mob. +74
9591610 65774
Mia Turner, WFP/Cairo, Tel. +20-2-5281730, Mob. +20-122455769