U.S. wheat arrives in Middle East for Syrian relief
April 22, 2013 | 08:50 AM
An American ship carrying enough wheat to feed more than 1 million people for four months has delivered its cargo for distribution in Syria as part of the emergency food assistance provided by the United Nations World Food Programme, WFP said in a news release on Sunday.
Carrying 25,000 metric tons of wheat donated by the government of the United States, the MV Advantage arrived at the port of Beirut, Lebanon, last Monday, where it offloaded part of the wheat to be be milled into flour and then transported to Syria, WFP said.
The ship then proceeded to Mersin Port in Turkey on Friday, where the rest of the wheat will be milled and transported by sea to Syria for distribution by WFP to vulnerable families in Syria’s 14 governorates, the agency continued.
“We are very grateful for this timely contribution from the United States which will allow us to supplement our food rations with wheat flour especially in the areas where families are struggling to get their hands on bread, a staple part of their diet,” said Muhannad Hadi, WFP’s Emergency Coordinator for the Syria crisis.
The contribution, worth more than $19 million, will allow WFP to add wheat flour to the monthly food basket of more than 1 million people, WFP said.
Families will receive a 25 kilogram bag of flour in addition to their monthly food ration, which includes vegetable oil, pasta, burglar, canned pulses and sugar. WFP is prioritizing areas where there are severe shortages of bread, especially in the rural parts of the country.
The United States is WFP’s largest donor in fighting hunger worldwide and has contributed the most so far to the UN food agency’s relief efforts for vulnerable Syrians inside their country and those who fled to neighbouring countries, the agency said. Since the beginning of the crisis, the United States has contributed nearly $125.5 million to WFP’s Syria emergency operation.
WFP must raise $19 million each week in order to provide food assistance to 2.5 million hungry people inside Syria and more than one million refugees in neighboring countries.
Carrying 25,000 metric tons of wheat donated by the government of the United States, the MV Advantage arrived at the port of Beirut, Lebanon, last Monday, where it offloaded part of the wheat to be be milled into flour and then transported to Syria, WFP said.
The ship then proceeded to Mersin Port in Turkey on Friday, where the rest of the wheat will be milled and transported by sea to Syria for distribution by WFP to vulnerable families in Syria’s 14 governorates, the agency continued.
“We are very grateful for this timely contribution from the United States which will allow us to supplement our food rations with wheat flour especially in the areas where families are struggling to get their hands on bread, a staple part of their diet,” said Muhannad Hadi, WFP’s Emergency Coordinator for the Syria crisis.
The contribution, worth more than $19 million, will allow WFP to add wheat flour to the monthly food basket of more than 1 million people, WFP said.
Families will receive a 25 kilogram bag of flour in addition to their monthly food ration, which includes vegetable oil, pasta, burglar, canned pulses and sugar. WFP is prioritizing areas where there are severe shortages of bread, especially in the rural parts of the country.
The United States is WFP’s largest donor in fighting hunger worldwide and has contributed the most so far to the UN food agency’s relief efforts for vulnerable Syrians inside their country and those who fled to neighbouring countries, the agency said. Since the beginning of the crisis, the United States has contributed nearly $125.5 million to WFP’s Syria emergency operation.
WFP must raise $19 million each week in order to provide food assistance to 2.5 million hungry people inside Syria and more than one million refugees in neighboring countries.
