NEWSFOOD.com Primo piano, Italy
Aug 10 2007

WFP welcomes US$2 million donation from Russia to Azerbaijan

WFP’s two-year operation in Azerbaijan is helping 154,000 people
displaced by the 1990s Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh

WFP.org – August 10, 2007

Baku, 10 August 2007 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
today welcomed the first-ever donation from the Russian Federation to
support WFP’s operation in Azerbaijan to provide food assistance to
the poorest among the internally displaced people (IDPs).

`This Russian US$2 million donation to Azerbaijan will enable us to
continue food assistance to the most vulnerable among those displaced
by the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,’ said
Lynne Miller, WFP’s Country Director in Azerbaijan.

`We are very grateful for Russia’s commitment to our efforts to help
those in need.’

Displaced

The Russian donation will help procure wheat flour and vegetable oil
for the displaced over the coming four months.

Since 2003, when the Russian Federation joined WFP’s growing list of
generous donors, it has provided US$44 million worth of assistance to
WFP efforts around the world.

WFP started operations in Azerbaijan in 1994 to help over half a
million people displaced by the conflict. Gradually a large number of
them moved to urban areas and became self-reliant. WFP has since
shifted its attentions to assisting those who remained in rural areas
and are still unable to meet their basic needs.

Conflict

The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh led to the
displacement of some 800,000 Azerbaijanis in the 1990s. WFP’s current
two-year operation in Azerbaijan assists 154,000 of them.

`The displaced people we are assisting are still unable to afford
their basic needs. They still rely on continued humanitarian
support,’ said Miller.

Shortfall

WFP’s current operation, which extends until mid 2008, has a total
cost of US$15.9 million and is currently facing a 38 per cent
shortfall in funding.

Donors to the current WFP’s operation in Azerbaijan include:
Azerbaijan (US$ 3 million); the Russian Federation (US$2 million);
Japan (US$100,000); and private donors (US$69,000) as well as
multilateral donation (US$ 4 million).

So far this year, Russia has contributed US$11 million to WFP, for
operations in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cuba and Tajikistan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress