Qatar announced its contribution of $20mn in support of a humanitarian programme Grain from Ukraine, which is aimed at helping African countries to get Ukrainian grain exports. This came in a speech delivered via video conference by HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani before a ceremony to launch the programme in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
At the beginning of the speech, HE Sheikh Mohamed conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, coupled with his best wishes that the ceremony and the programme would be a success. He expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the kind invitation. HE Sheikh Mohamed said Qatar welcomed programmes and projects that will enhance and improve food security and develop sustainable solutions to enhance countries' resilience, and welcomed in this regard Ukraine's initiative to launch the humanitarian programme Grain from Ukraine as an initiative to help African countries obtain Ukrainian grain exports.
He affirmed Qatar's commitment as a reliable international partner to support collective initiatives and multilateral international action, in order to ensure an effective Qatari contribution alongside international partners in addressing challenges that do not threaten one particular society but represent a collective threat to humanity, and represent a test for all in achieving the aspirations of the peoples. HE Sheikh Mohamed noted that the current challenges in the world underscore the urgent need to enhance interdependence and integration between countries, pointing out that those who are marginalised and the most vulnerable groups in various societies bear the most severe consequences of these challenges.
He added that the mounting challenges facing global food security and the stability of energy supplies to millions of people around the world as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the risks related to malnutrition and famine due to the disruption of production and supply chains, require unprecedented international attention, continuous co-operation and a clear order of priorities, foremost of which is the humanitarian aspect. He said that Qatar has called since the beginning of the war in Ukraine for a speedy peaceful solution, noting that it welcomed the Black Sea initiative to transport grain, out of Qatar's consistent policy of co-operation and partnership with the international community, and within the framework of its continuous efforts to promote international peace and security.
He said that Qatar has always been one of the first countries to respond to global crises, including the food security crisis, as it was keen to redouble its efforts to respond to this crisis within a coordination framework and in co-operation with partners in the international community. HE Sheikh Mohamed pointed out in this context that it launched an initiative to establish the Global Dryland Alliance, which aims to achieve food security in countries suffering from drought, and Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) responded to emergency humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa by pledging $12mn to help rural communities achieve food security and build resilience, and the Fund made a total financial contribution of $90mn to the World Food Programme to meet the critical food security needs in Yemen.
Moreover, Qatar contributed $5mn to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health to provide ambulances and other medical equipment. He stressed that what the world is facing today confirms the urgent need for continued support for food-insecure people, who depend mainly on grains for their food basket, especially in Africa and Asia.
HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani
