Kenya among Countries to Benefit from 60 Ships of Relief Food from Ukraine

• The consignment arrived on Monday, December 5, in Djibouti for delivery to neighbouring Ethiopia amid the region’s worst drought in decades
• In November 2022, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the initiative aimed at helping “countries the most struck by the food crisis”
• Ukraine announced it plans to send more than 60 ships to Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen and other countries

Kenyans faced with hunger and starvation have a reason to smile after it emerged that the first shipment of grain as part of Ukraine’s initiative to supply countries in need has arrived in the Horn of Africa.

The consignment arrived on Monday, December 5, in Djibouti for delivery to neighbouring Ethiopia amid the region’s worst drought in decades.

Ukraine’s embassy in Ethiopia confirmed that the “Grain from Ukraine” shipment of 25,000 tons is separate from a United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) effort that has funded humanitarian grain shipments from Ukraine.

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The expected size of the wheat consignment

An embassy statement said that a second ship with 30,000 tons of wheat would be heading to Ethiopia next week, while a third vessel is being loaded with 25,000 tons of grain bound for Somalia.

In November 2022, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the initiative aimed at helping “countries the most struck by the food crisis.”

Ukraine has said it plans to send more than 60 ships to Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen and other countries.

In August 2022, WFP called on the private sector to increase exports from Ukraine and to meet the growing needs and demand in the entire horn of Africa region.

“The wheat grain will support World Food Programme’s humanitarian response in Ethiopia where over 20m people face hunger,” WFP wrote on Twitter.

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Kenya’s intervention in curbing hunger

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said the National Steering Committee on Drought Response had raised KSh 542 million for Kenyans hard hit by the prevailing famine in the country.

The committee led by giant telcos Safaricom Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Ndegwa said the funds would be maximised in purchasing and distributing tonnes of food, water, supplements, and cash transfers to families in affected by drought.

Speaking at State House Nairobi, President William Ruto commended the committee and various organisations contributing to the drought kitty, saying their actions were beyond patriotism.

Source: TUKO.co.ke