Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Welcomes Zelenskyy's ‘Grain from Ukraine’

As part of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ‘Grain from Ukraine’ (GfU) humanitarian programme, a fifth ship carrying 30,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat arrived in the Republic of Kenya.

At the port of Mombasa, the vessel was received today by the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua, together with Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, member of the International Coordination Group for the Prevention of Hunger (ICGPH), and Ambassadors from the donor countries to the programme.

This shipment was supported by the UN World Food Program (WFP) with financial assistance from the governments of the United Kingdom, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.

“Ukraine has always been one of the main suppliers of wheat worldwide. Before the war, Africa imported more than $1.4 billion in wheat from Ukraine. Today’s shipment to Kenya cements our ongoing commitment to tackle forced famine across Africa’s most vulnerable nations. While we continue to defend our nation against external aggression, we have not forgotten our humanitarian obligation towards our allies in time of need.”, said Andriy Yermak, Head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office and Chairman of the International Coordination Group for the Prevention of Hunger.

Dr Christopher Fomunyoh, Senior Associate for Africa Programmes at the National Democratic Institute, USA and an ambassador of the “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian programme, added: “Several countries across Africa, including Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Somalia, are facing the worst food crisis seen in 40 years. Global factors, such as ongoing climate change in Africa, the escalating conflict in Ukraine, inflation around the world and a surge in global food prices, have caused devastating hunger ripples worldwide. Through the “Grain from Ukraine” humanitarian programme, we will ensure that Ukrainian grain is provided to people in need, so as to tackle forced famine across Africa and the world .”

According to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, over 5.4 million people in Kenya will likely experience acute food insecurity in March and June this year. About 970,200 children will likely suffer from acute malnutrition in 2023.

The #GrainFromUkrain (GfU) programme was launched by President Zelenskyy in November 2022, to provide much-needed assistance to nations affected by the ongoing global food crisis. Since the beginning of its launch, the programme has delivered over 140,000 tons of Ukrainian wheat to Africa’s struggling nations.