Spain gives EUR 75 million boost to Africa hunger fight
(ROME) - Spain announced Thursday a 75 million euros (112 million dollars) donation to the UN's World Food Programme in response to a growing food crisis in east Africa.
The announcement by Soraya Rodriguez Ramos, Spain's secretary of state for international cooperation, followed the UN's three-day World Summit on Food Security in Rome and effectively doubles Spain's contributions to WFP.
"In times of crisis, development aid is more needed than ever", Rodriguez said. "In the face of extreme hunger, we have to respond efficiently."
Even before today's announcement, Spain was in WFP's top ten of donor nations having already donated 72 million euros (108 million dollars) to the UN agency this year.
WFP has been increasing its operations in countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, which have suffered due to a combination of prolonged drought, recurring conflict, continued high food prices and the global financial crisis. In September, the WFP launched an emergency appeal for almost one billion dollars over the next six months to help the region.
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