Bangkok--Sep 16--WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme has hailed a "historic" donation from the Government of Malaysia, almost half of which will go to WFP programmes in Africa.
The US$1 million donation was given by Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar to WFP Executive Director James Morris at a handover ceremony in New York yesterday, at the 60th session of the UN General Assembly.
"Malaysia continues to provide valuable support for WFP in its lifesaving operations across the world," said Morris. "This donation is historic not only because it marks a new level of support from Malaysia, but also because it represents a growing commitment by emerging donors in Asia to helping people need in Africa."
The Government of Malaysia's donation will assist WFP programmes in four countries that are still feeling the effects of the Indian Ocean tsunami: Kenya, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Malaysia provided invaluable support to WFP in the early days of the tsunami relief operation in January 2005, through the creation of the Subang Humanitarian Air Hub at Kuala Lumpur. It is also a key source of food for WFP in the region, with WFP purchasing over US$60 million of food from Malaysia in 2004.
Today's donation is the largest ever from Malaysia, which has been a donor to WFP since 1999. In recent years Malaysia has given twice to WFP programmes in southern Africa, where countries are facing a major humanitarian crisis.
"Malaysia is emerging as a key partner for WFP in the region," said Morris. "The Malaysian people, who also suffered from the tsunami, have demonstrated that they are ready and willing to help people in need both in Asia and around the world through various types of assistance: cash, in-kind giving, and the donation of facilities and expertise."
As well as allowing for the purchase of food supplies for programmes in Sri Lanka and Myanmar, the Malaysian donation will aid WFP operations in eastern Africa. In Somalia, the contribution will improve the nutrition of women and children in particular. In Kenya, it will provide much-needed food to thousands of Sudanese and Somali refugees, as well as aiding longer-term development programmes that provide poor communities with better access to food, health and nutrition.
"With this donation, Malaysia has put itself in the front ranks of emerging donors in Asia," said Morris.
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 56 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: [email protected]):
Nick Keyes, WFP/Bangkok, Tel. +66-2-655-4115 ext.2020, Mob. +66-1-9230362
Barry Came, WFP/Jakarta, Tel. +62-21-573-4311 ext 2105, Mob. +62-811-987416
Trevor Rowe, WFP/New York, Tel. +1-202212-963-5196, Mob. +1-646-824-1112
Anthea Webb, WFP/ Rome, Tel: +39-06-6513-2411, Mob. +39-340-863-6509 End.