Russia to sign strategic partnership agreement with UN food program

The Russian government and the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian agency, are due to conclude an agreement on strategic cooperation on Tuesday.
Russian Foreign Ministry’s official spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Monday the agreement will cover the period of 2014-2017.
The document will be inked by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and WFP chief Ertharin Cousin at the meeting in Moscow later on day, during which the sides will also discuss cooperation as part of humanitarian projects.
“During the talks, the sides are to discuss topical issues of cooperation between Russia and this important humanitarian tool of the UN, including the prospects for fulfilling a range of projects, which are carried out with Russia’s donor support,” Lukashevich said.
Russia will provide a total of 218 Kamaz trucks as its contribution to the UN WFP in 2014 and 2015. The first batch of 130 Kamaz trucks is to be handed over at an official ceremony in Moscow on Tuesday.
“The scope of the project is so big that Kamaz may well become regarded as the vehicle of choice of the largest humanitarian organization within the UN system,” Lukashevich said.
Russia has been a major donor of the WFP for more than 10 years. Russia has donated $51.5 million over the past eleven months, what is the country’s largest contribution ever. By the end of the year, Russia’s contribution on the organization is expected to grow to $66.5 million.