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Russia donated $51 mln to UN’s food program this year — WFP

The Russian government is boosting its donations acknowledging that the needs of the world are increasing, World Food Program head sais in an intervies with Vedomosti newspaper

MOSCOW, November 10. /TASS/. The Russian government has contributed $51 million to the World Food Program (WFP) this year, the head of the world’s largest humanitarian agency said in an interview with the Vedomosti newspaper published on Monday.

“The Russian government is boosting its donations, acknowledging, like other governments, that the needs of the world in our assistance are increasing each year,” Ertharin Cousin was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

The modern world has more refugees than it has had since World War II and there are currently more conflicts and crises, creating more needs for assistance around the world, she said.

“Over the past years, Russia’s annual donations reached around $50 million,” Cousin told the newspaper, adding: “Russia is a donor that has been increasing its donations.”

The head of UN’s food agency is expected to visit Russia this December “as the Russian government has been very generous towards us over the past several years,” she said.

The WFP feeds over 90 million people in more than 70 countries, and its annual budget exceeds $4 billion. In 2015, the agency will need $6.2 billion to carry out its operations.