Saudi Arabia donates $10 mln to UN World Food Program for food aid to Ukrainians

MOSCOW. April 16 (Interfax) - The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) has donated $10 million to the UN World Food Program (WFP) for providing Ukrainians with daily hot food at 1,200 institutions across the country, Ukrainian media said, citing the WFP press service.

According to the press release, Advisor to the Royal Court and KSRelief Supervisor General Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah and WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain signed the agreement.

The Saudi contribution will finance 50 million meals in WFP-supported institutions (hospitals, shelters for internally displaced persons, orphanages, mental and geriatric institutions, and other public or private establishments taking care of disadvantaged Ukrainian citizens).

The aid is sufficient for the procurement and delivery of about 7,600 tonnes of food, the press release said, adding that all foodstuffs, including flour, pasta, buckwheat, oats, peas, sugar and butter, will be purchased in Ukraine to support the local economy and catering establishments.

For the next six months, the WFP institutional catering program will be providing food aid to 210,000 disadvantaged Ukrainians. The KSRelief contribution will meet about 67% of program needs and will support 140,000 people.