Russia sends 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Central African Republic as humanitarian aid - Foreign Ministry

MOSCOW. Jan 29 (Interfax) - Russia has supplied 50,000 tonnes of wheat to the Central African Republic as part of the decisions on extending humanitarian assistance to a number of African states adopted at the Second Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg in July 2023, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

"The unloading of two vessels that delivered Russian grain was completed at the port in the city of Douala (Cameroon) on January 25. Bangui and Yaounde reached an agreement to mill grain into flour in the territory of Cameroon and subsequently transport it to the Central African Republic," the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Earlier, "in response to Bangui's request, Russia provided assistance in fighting Covid-19," it said. The Russian Emergency Situations Ministry delivered around eight tonnes of medications and other medical supplies to the Central African Republic in September 2020. A 540-tonne batch of Russian agricultural products was handed over to this country in August 2022 as Russia's voluntary contribution to the UN World Food Program (WFP) in 2021. In 2023, Russia allocated $2.5 million via WFP for food supplies that will be delivered to the Central African Republic within the next few months, the ministry said.

"The authorities of the Central African Republic thanked the Russian leadership for the humanitarian assistance that will be used to cover the needs of the most disadvantaged segments of the population and is intended to help ensure food security in this friendly country," it said.