São Paulo – Brazil donated over 300,000 tonnes of foodstuffs to 35 countries under the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) since 2011, according to figures released by the Ministry of Foreign Relations last week. The contributions rose from US$ 1 million donated in 2007 to US$ 75 million last year, making the country one of the leading collaborators with the UN programme.
"After two renewals of Brazil’s commitment, the food donations will continue in 2012 and 2013. Countries such as Bolivia, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Honduras, Uganda, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal and Zimbabwe should receive roughly 90,000 tonnes of rice by the end of the year,” says the minister Milton Rondó, coordinator-general for International Actions Against Hunger (GCFome) at the ministry.
This Sunday, August 19th, is the World Humanitarian Day. According to the ministry of External Relations, Brazil has reduced malnutrition and more than 30 million people were rescued from poverty in the last decade under the Zero Hunger Program. According to Rondó, Brazilian social policies have provided a template for developing countries.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
