Russia donates over 1,600 tons of grain to refugees in Gambella region

Addis Ababa, January 9, 2025 (FMC) – Russian shas donated 1,630 tons of grain to refugees in the Gambela Region of Ethiopia. The donation will be distributed by the UN World Food Program (WFP) Ethiopia office.

Mulualem Desta, Deputy Director of Ethiopian Refugee and Returnees Service (RRS), Jennifer Bitonde, WFP Ethiopia Deputy Country Director, among others were present on the handover ceremony.

Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Yevgeny Terekhin, who participated in the grain supply ceremony, which took place in the UN WFP logistics hub in Adama, said that the countries are connected by “long-established strong friendly relations.”

The Ambassador appreciated current Ethiopia’s Agricultural program, adding that over the past 6 years the country has doubled its cultivated land.

“Now the Ethiopian government is working tirelessly on the advancement of modernization of farming system to upscale the quality and quantity of agricultural products. We are confident that Ethiopia’s agricultural reforms will not only enhance the country’s sustainable development but also enable it to become one of the world leaders in grain production. It is obvious, that the FDRE has enough human resources, areas of arable land and farming capacity to satisfy its internal needs and move from import to export,” the Ambassador noted.

Evgeny Terekhin also thanked deeply colleagues from the WFP for assisting in ensuring transportation and distribution of grain.

“Russia cooperates closely with the UN World Food Program. Our country finances the activities of the WFP to the tune of around $60-70 million each year. I am thoroughly convinced that the close cooperation between UN contributing countries and agencies, with the WFP being the most notable among them, is crucial for supporting humanitarian aid saving across the globe,” he emphasized.

More than 350,000 refugees from neighboring countries including South Sudan are currently sheltered in seven camps in the Gambella Region as Ethiopia is the largest refugee-hosting country in Africa with over 1 million refugees.