Russian Emergency Ministry and WFP to extend partnership in humanitarian assistance

Russian Minister for Emergency Situations has hosted today a working meeting with David Beasley, Executive Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP). During the talks, the officials discussed pressing issues of international humanitarian assistance and closer cooperation for global food security.

Messrs. Puchkov and Beasley noted that cooperation between the Emergency Ministry and WFP has stable positive dynamics and plays a key part in fighting hunger and humanitarian crises all over the world.

Special focus was made on implementation of strategic partnership between Russia and WFP. Namely, the Emergency Ministry confirmed interest and readiness to extend partnership under a renewed agreement on strategic partnership between Russia and WFP for the next 4 years which will be concluded in the near future. The officials made a special mention of pressing issues of improved planning of joint projects, as well as enhancing economic efficiency of implementation of international humanitarian programmes under the auspices of WFP.

The Russian Minister stressed that the Emergency Ministry was going to continue supporting a well-established mechanism of supplying food made in Russia for international food aid, adding that Russian foodstuffs were ecological and unmatched in the world regarding quality-price ratio.

As another potential area of cooperation, the parties discussed programmes of providing reserve services which suggest different projects in exporting Russian advanced disaster management technologies. Executive Director of WFP highly appreciated the role of Russia in building the strategy of WFP, describing partnership between the Russian Emergency Ministry and WFP as long-standing, efficient and promising.

“Russia has already made a huge contribution in solving humanitarian food problem,” Mr. Beasley said.

The parties stressed the role of international cooperation amid growing humanitarian crises, which according to WFP are hitting an unprecedented level.

“Considering that Russia and the USA are the most important donors, their partnership in WFP will give another chance to build and consolidate bilateral relationships between these two countries in order to solve maximum of issues,” the Executive Director said.

The parties recognized importance of active efforts taken to determine joint priorities, as well as regions and countries assisting which is the first priority for global food security. Mr. Breasley expressed hope that thanks to the Russian Emergency Ministry WFP would be able to help countries in need even more actively.

“Interaction between the Russian Emergency Ministry and WFP is the most important area of cooperation based on trust and partnership for helping people in trouble,” the Emergency Minister noted.

In 2014-2017, under the Agreement on strategic partnership between Russian and WFP, the Russian Emergency Ministry helped to 22 countries. As part of Russia’s contribution, the Russian Emergency Ministry provided over 120 million US dollars’ worth of humanitarian aid, delivering more than 95 thousand tons of food. 218 Russian KamAZ trucks were handed over to WFP.

Original source: Government of the Russian Federation
Published on 20 February 2018