Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would provide Syria with 500 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat flour.
Zelenskyy said that 500 tonnes of Ukrainian wheat flour are already on their way to Syria as part of Ukraine’s “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian program, in cooperation with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
“As promised, we are supporting the Syrian people in their time of need. The wheat flour is planned to be distributed to 33,250 families or 167,000 people, in the coming weeks,” Zelenskyy said on X (former twitter), adding that “each package weighs 15 kilograms and can feed a family of five for one month.”
“We wish Syria and its people safety, stability, and recovery. We know the true value of these things,” the Ukrainian president noted.
This move comes shortly after the fall of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad. The White House described the “collapse of the Assad regime as a momentous and a historic landmark event,” but cautioned it was also a moment of risk and uncertainty in the region.
The president stated recently that discussions were held with government officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, about food aid within the framework of the “Grain from Ukraine” program and aid for Syria.
He emphasized that this is a humanitarian initiative that has already made a significant impact in stabilizing the food situation in some of the world’s most challenging regions.
“Now, we have the opportunity to support Syrians with Ukrainian wheat, flour, and oil-our products that contribute globally to ensuring food security,” he said.
Nearly 14 years of war have left many Syrians in a vulnerable state. Some 12.9 million people were food insecure at the start of this year, including 3 million severely food insecure, while humanitarian assistance has declined significantly due to funding shortfalls, according to humanitarian organization WFP.
With rapidly escalating needs, WFP says that it urgently requires $US250m in the next six months to buy and deliver food assistance for up to 2.8 million displaced and vulnerable people.
