United Nations World Food Programme to continue backing Moldova in managing refugees' crisis

Chisinau, 27 April /MOLDPRES/ - The World Food Programme (WFP) will support the Ukrainian refugees from Moldova for a long term, even after the lift of the emergency state, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Moldovan government and the WFP was signed by Labour and Social Protection Minister Marcel Spatari and Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programmed David Beasley, during a meeting with Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita.  

The officials discussed the humanitarian and economic consequences of the war in Ukraine on Moldova and the support the country needs in continuation, in the context of the refugees’ crisis, as well as the backing WFP will provide to the families which host refugees from Ukraine.   

The PM appreciated WFP’s support in the providing of the financial assistance to the refugees and the families which host them, providing of warm dinners to the people who came to Moldova, as well as the logistic support from which Moldova benefited in the process of carriage and depositing of humanitarian assistance. The prime minister noted that 92,000 refugees out of those 430,000 who had entered Moldova still remained in the country. Gavrilita stressed that the involvement of the international community, including the conclusion of the Memorandum with WFP, would allow providing them the needed assistance and covering the costs related to the refugees’ crisis. In the context, the officials agreed on mechanisms, through which the process of providing assistance should be sped up, so that it reaches as many as possible families from Moldova.      

„Moldova has firmly proved its commitment to ensure the protection of those who look for refuge in our country – the government has already undertaken a string of actions for their accommodation, providing transport, access to education and medical services. In continuation, we will focus on supporting the families which received refuges and we count, in this respect, on the extension of the programme on cash transfer. Fortunately, on this difficult period, Moldova is not left alone,’’ Natalia Gavrilita said.   

At the same time, the PM emphasized that the authorities were looking for new sales markets for the Moldovan products, as the exports and imports from the eastern markets are presently disturbed. For their part, the WFP representatives referred to possibilities they analyzed as regards the export of Moldovan apples to other states through the WFP networks.     

David Beasley also said that the providing of immediate financial assistance to the refugees and their hosts stayed an absolute priority. He noted that, through the signing of the Memorandum, a new framework of regulation of WFP’s presence and activity in Moldova would be created.    

Following the signing, the Memorandum of Understanding between Moldova’s government and the World Food Programme is to be ratified by the parliament. So far, WFP has provided humanitarian assistance to Moldova based on an Instruction by the Commission for Emergency Situations.   

Photo: Government