WFP welcomes Saudi donation to displaced people in Azerbaijan

WFP Azerbaijan Country Director Lynne Miller personally thanked Saudi Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ali Hassan Jaafar during his visit today to Beylagan district, where over 380 families or more than 1600 people received three tonnes of Saudi dates.

"We welcome the Saudi donation as a very timely gift to some of the most vulnerable Azerbaijanis only days before the holy month of Ramadan (where Muslims fast from dawn to sunset)," said Miller.

Over the past seven years, Saudi Arabia has become a significant donor to WFP, donating nearly US$54 million since 2000. Last year alone, it donated over US$34 million to WFP operations around the world.

WFP started operations in Azerbaijan in 1994 to help over half a million people who had been displaced. Gradually a large number of them moved to urban areas and became self-reliant and assistance has since been shifted to those who remained in rural areas and are still unable to meet their basic needs.

The Government of Azerbaijan provides assistance to a large number of the IDPs and is itself a donor to WFP operation in the country.

"The displaced people being assisted are those who are still unable to afford their basic needs. As the economy has been dramatically improving over the past few years, the government has been providing more resources to help the IDPs directly or through aid agencies such as WFP," said Miller.

"Our operation, which will be completed in June 2008 is still under-funded. We believe the international community should continue to assist the needy IDPs in Azerbaijan until the government here is completely equipped to take over this task, a condition which is gradually taking root."

WFP current operation extends until mid 2008 and has a total cost of US$15.9 million. The operation is facing a 39 percent shortfall in funding. Donors to the current WFP's operation in Azerbaijan include: Azerbaijan (US$3 million); the Russian Federation (US$2 million); Japan (US$100,000); private donors (US$69,000); a carry over from a previous operation (US$1 million), and multilateral donation (US$ 3.3 million).