The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a donation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of 1,500 metric tons of dates, worth US$1.3 million to help feed thousands of vulnerable people in Yemen.

Two thirds of the donation (1,000 metric tons) will be distributed to 60,000 school-girls in WFP-targeted schools and the remaining 500 metric tons will support WFP’s operation to assist 77,000 persons affected by the conflict in Sa’ada governorate.

“We are grateful for this generous donation from Saudi Arabia which comes at a time when the sharp increase of food prices locally and internationally is becoming a huge burden on the people and WFP’s limited resources,” said Mohamed El-Kouhene, WFP Representative in Yemen.

The documents of receipt were signed by Hussein Al-Malki, Representative of the Saudi Ministry of Finance, Saad Abdurrahman Al-Nasser, Acting Ambassador at the Saudi Embassy in Yemen, and. El-Kouhene of WFP.

Hussein Al-Malki commented on the importance of such donation, stating that the primary aim of the Saudi aid is to enhance WFP’s activities to fight poverty and hunger in the world.

The donation is part of the 4,000 metric tons of dates that Saudi Arabia annually donates to WFP’s operations worldwide.  The total amount of donations from Saudi Arabia to WFP in 2007 reached US$6.5 million.