Addis Abeba — The United Nations World Food Programme said it has received its first ever donation from the Government of Ukraine, a US$580,000 shipment of 1,000 metric tons of wheat to help support efforts to feed close to 5 million people in Ethiopia in need of emergency relief assistance.

"This is a very timely donation as our relief programme is badly stretched at the moment," WFP's Ethiopia Country Director Mohamed Diab, was quoted in a statement as saying.

"We also hope it is the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership with the Ukrainian people." The UN agency said a delegation from the Ukrainian Government's Ministry of Emergencies officially handed over the 1,000 metric tons of wheat in a ceremony in Nazareth attended by representatives of WFP and the Ethiopian Government's Disaster Management and Food Security Sector.

After the ceremony, the delegation visited WFP-supported operations in the Nazareth area, where many residents continue to suffer from the effects of chronic drought, persistent high food prices and the global financial crisis, it added.

"The Ukrainian donation will help to ease the pressure on WFP's national relief programme, which is designed to deliver emergency food assistance to nearly 5 million people who are facing hunger as a result of the triple threat of drought, high prices and financial meltdown." The relief programme, WFP said, is currently experiencing a severe shortage of funds and resources.

"Based on the existing caseload established last January, the programme is short more than 116,000 metric tons of commodities, valued at close to US$96 million." "Although the 1,000 metric tons is the first outright donation, WFP and Ukraine have long been commercial partners. WFP has purchased significant quantities of grain from Ukraine in recent years; 140,000 metric tons in 2008 alone. The agency has also contracted aircraft and air transport services from Ukraine which have been deployed all over the world." In addition to almost 5 million beneficiaries of the national relief programme, WFP said its operations in Ethiopia also reach 2.4 million people enrolled in the Government's Productive Safety Net Programme; 1.2 million mothers and young children who receive Targeted Supplementary Feeding; 164,000 people affected by HIV/AIDS; 610,000 engaged in MERET land regeneration projects; 438,000 children receiving school feeding; and 118,000 refugees.