The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has contributed 90 tons of food worth an estimated M1.7 Million (USD$196,000) to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for distribution to people affected by drought, floods and crop failure in Lesotho.
A press release from WFP on Friday says, a range of commodities that include white beans, wheat flour, corn flour, vegetable oil, milk powder and sugar was flown into the airport this morning and will now be transported by road to Lesotho.
The commodities were accompanied by a delegation from Saudi Arabia including government officials and journalists.
'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hopes the contribution will help the people in their time of need,' Mr. Abdulrahman Alnajjar, Charge d'Affaires at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia has been quoted as saying at the release, at a ceremony at South Africa's O.R. Tambo airport on Friday.
'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has shown great support for Lesotho and this donation will help alleviate the hardships facing many women and children in particular,' said WFP Representative Imadeldin O. Salih.
WFP is responding to the deteriorating food security situation in Lesotho through three separate initiatives: school meals, nutrition for those living with HIV and or AIDS, and food or cash for farmers working on projects that prevent soil erosion and rehabilitate farmland.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Each year, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.
