Ukraine is sending sunflower oil for the first time as part of President Volodymyr Zelensky's humanitarian food initiative "Grain from Ukraine." A total of 2,453.26 tons of oil is designated for five African countries - the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Djibouti, Mauritania, and Palestine.
The shipment of humanitarian aid is being carried out by the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP).
According to Deputy Minister of Agrarian Policy Markiyan Dmytrasevych, Ukraine has expanded the range of humanitarian goods this year.
"We are fulfilling our country's mission, ensuring food security globally. We are expanding humanitarian goods, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky during the second 'Grain from Ukraine' summit. We supply not only grain but also corn, peas, and now sunflower oil. This oil will be shipped by containers from the Port of Odessa," said Markiyan Dmytrasevych.
Mariana Vord, Acting Director of the World Food Programme in Ukraine, stated that over 200,000 tons of agricultural products have been shipped under "Grain from Ukraine." Many donor countries have joined the initiative, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Luxembourg.
Markiyan Dmytrasevych emphasized the significant role of the World Food Programme in supporting Ukrainians in frontline areas and internally displaced persons. He noted that Ukraine will soon provide previous harvest grains to the World Food Programme for pasta and bread production. These goods will be directed to residents of frontline territories.
The shipment of sunflower oil also involved the participation of Arad Benkö, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Ukraine, Paul Jakob Erikstrup, Advisor on Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries at the Embassy of Denmark in Ukraine, and Jean Lyanot, Advisor on Agriculture at the Embassy of the French Republic in Ukraine.
In total, within the "Grain from Ukraine" initiative, 10 vessels have shipped over 200,000 tons of agricultural products to Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Yemen, Nigeria, Sudan, and Palestine.
