Russia has delivered 1,600 tonnes of grain to Ethiopia to alleviate a severe food shortage impacting refugees in the Gambella region. The donation, welcomed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), is crucial in addressing a critical resource deficit.
"This donation is crucial as the WFP faces the depletion of resources for food aid. The donation from the Russian Federation will enable the WFP to provide food aid to 163,240 refugees in the Gambella region," the diplomatic mission told Russian media.
Due to severe funding shortages, most of the refugees assisted by the WFP receive only 60% of their minimum daily nutritional requirements, the embassy said.
At a ceremony in Adama marking the handover, Russian Ambassador Evgeny Terekhin drew parallels to the Soviet Union's humanitarian aid to Ethiopia during the devastating famine of the late 1980s, highlighting a long history of support.