MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th November, 2022) Finland has allocated 15.7 million Euros ($15.6 million) in humanitarian aid to the Horn of Africa, of which 7 million euros will be spent to facilitate transportation of grain from Ukraine to Somalia, the Finnish Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.
"Finland is allocating EUR 15.7 million in humanitarian assistance to the region. From that sum, nearly EUR 7 million will be channelled through the WFP (UN World Food Programme) to help facilitate the transport of Ukrainian grain to Somalia," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry noted that the Ukrainian crisis has affected Horn of Africa countries, which are heavily dependent on grain imports from Russia and Ukraine.
Finnish humanitarian aid in Africa is provided through the UN Refugee Agency, the Finnish Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The assistance is Primary aimed at ensuring food security, but it is also used to protect refugees, the ministry said. The Horn of Africa is a major migration hub, and the reduction in food aid affects 3.5 million refugees in the region, the report read.
"It is critically important that the shipping of grain from Ukraine to Horn of Africa can continue. We support the World Food Programme in this," Finnish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Ville Skinnari, said.
Humanitarian aid provides local residents with shelter, clean water and health services, Skinnari added.
The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the conflict in Ukraine, have jeopardized global food security. The Horn of Africa, home to over 140 million people, has been hit hard, especially amid unprecedented drought after a fifth consecutive dry during rain season. Over 20 million local residents are in need of urgent food aid.
