I am delighted with the two agreements signed on 4th March between WFP and Minister of Agriculture, Elena Skrynnik, and with Minister for Emergencies, Sergei Shoigu, which will enhance our ability to address urgent hunger needs in some of the poorest and least developed corners of the world.  I also welcome the announcement of the multi-year school feeding programme in Armenia.

These important agreements, which cover a three-year period, signal the Russian people’s heartfelt commitment to continue their assistance for the hungry poor.  Last year, Russia’s support brought life-saving food to more than one million people in neighbouring countries such as Armenia, Tajikistan, Khirgyz Republic and Afghanistan, as well as in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and Cuba.

On behalf of those around the world who lack access to food – whose lives are threatened and diminished  – I owe a debt of gratitude, not only to the Ministers who signed these agreements with me, but also to the Russian leaders who worked so hard to make it happen.  In particular I wish to thank First Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko and Deputy Minister of Finance Dmitry Pankin.

I also wish to offer my whole-hearted thanks to Mr Vladimir Kuznetsov, who excelled in his role as President of WFP’s Executive Board – a revolving position occupied by key partners in WFP’s fight against hunger – as well as to Mr Vladimir Chernigov, Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture on School Feeding.

I pay tribute to the generosity and compassion of the Russian people themselves – for it is in their name that Russia has increased its funding to WFP from US$15 million in 2008 to US$26.8 million in 2009. 

My colleagues at WFP and I greatly look forward to a new phase of working together with our Russian partners towards the eventual elimination of global hunger.