China signs food assistance agreement with WFP

Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), met with David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), via video link on July 29. They also signed an agreement on food assistance to the Republic of the Congo and two other countries.

Luo said that the WFP has made positive contributions to the fight against COVID-19 and the food crisis. China is grateful to the WFP for its anti-pandemic support when the country was facing the impact of the pandemic early last year. At present, amid the virus variants and the continued pandemic, the world economy is struggling to recover and developing countries are facing greater difficulties. In particular, bulk commodity prices are fluctuating and food prices are rising, leaving people in some developing countries facing hunger.

Upholding the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and the humanitarian spirit, the Chinese government has already cooperated with the WFP to provide food assistance to the relevant countries and achieved positive results, said Luo.

He said that China is willing to further strengthen practical cooperation and personnel exchanges with the WFP to jointly promote the achievement of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Beasley expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its long-term support to the WFP. He said he hopes the two sides would cooperate more deeply and extensively in the field of international development cooperation, and give full play to the WFP's advantages in food aid and logistics to help other developing countries cope with the pandemic and enhance food security.

According to the agreement, the Chinese government will use the South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund to work together with the WFP to help the Republic of the Congo, Benin and Liberia cope with the food security crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.