World Food Programme Deputy Executive Chief to pay a visit to Ukraine

UN APPEALS TO UKRAINE TO HELP ALLEVIATE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS 

During his first official stay in Kyiv, Mr. Powell is planning to meet with a number of senior Ukrainian Government officials and representatives from international organisations. Mr Powell’s visit follows on intensive discussions between senior Ukrainian and WFP officials about Ukraine’s possible grain contribution to assist in addressing global food crisis.

Moreover, the WFP Delegation’s visit to Ukraine has been organised during a rather critically important time for the world, as global leaders assemble for the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, addressing matters vital to global peace and security.

Earlier this week, on 22 September 2008, WFP appealed for US$460 million to feed 9.6 million hungry people affected by drought and high food prices in Ethiopia. 

“The Horn of Africa region is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since 1984, and Ethiopia is caught in the middle,” said WFP Executive Director, Josette Sheeran. “We know what needs to be done – we just need the funds to go out and do our job, protecting the hungry.”

Around a quarter of those in need – some 2 million people – live in areas where it has not rained for three years. Millions of people are in extreme distress and urgently need food and nutrition.

Within this context, according to the Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Ukraine, Mr. Francis M. O’Donnell, the imminent WFP Delegation’s visit to Kyiv is a response to a UN request to Ukraine on 15 July 2008 on global food security and the food crisis in Ethiopia, and Ukraine’s potential assistance to assist. It follows the discussions that the Resident Coordinator has with the President and with members of the Cabinet. The scope for a Ukrainian initiative was also discussed at top level with several Under-Secretaries-General for humanitarian affairs, public information, and development in New York in July, all of whom expressed strong support to a Ukrainian initiative to contribute to Global Food Security and in particular that the UN would give prominence to such actions in the fight against hunger.

“This is an exceptional opportunity for Ukraine to enter a new dimension of its historic partnership with the United Nations and accede to the ranks of WFP donors, and at the same time, through a special donation, e.g. for Ethiopian famine-risk populations, to also demonstrate Ukraine’s commitment to prevent famine.  The UN and WFP would give global prominence to a Ukrainian initiative to contribute to global food security and in particular would lend visibility to such actions in the fight against hunger, duly conscious of suffering of people of Ukraine during Holodomor in 1930s. This could also bring Ukraine into the market for WFP procurement purchasing in light of substantive grain production this year and Ukraine’s capacity to export,” the Resident Coordinator, Mr. O’Donnell, added.

Recent statements by high-level Ukrainian Government officials in favour of food aid for famine relief and global food security have been warmly received. WFP’s interest has been spurred by Ukraine’s willingness, and by the extraordinary agricultural performance of this country.

This year alone, Ukraine has a bumper harvest of about 45 million tons of grain production, of which 15 million can be exported, without affecting domestic consumption and reserves. In fact beyond this, the potential production of the country, with the richest soils in Europe, is over 100 million tons, if yields per hectare can be doubled to meet EU averages. Ukraine therefore clearly has enormous potential for humanitarian food donations, and also for food sales on preferential terms in light of substantive grain production this year and Ukraine’s capacity to export. 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE: John M. Powell is Deputy Executive Director at the World Food Programme responsible for the External Affairs and Resource Development.
Since Mr Powell was appointed to this position in April 2003, the organization has nearly tripled its donations from emerging donors in the public and private sectors. In 2007, WFP raised a total of US$2.7 billion from 80 donors.
WFP is the UN’s food assistance agency and the largest humanitarian organization in the world. In 2008, WFP plans to feed 73 million people in 78 of the world’s poorest countries. It focuses on bringing food to the victims of natural disasters and conflict, families affected by HIV/AIDS, pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children.
Previously, Mr Powell was Regional Director for the Asia Bureau (2001- 2003), responsible for setting up the newly established decentralised bureau in Bangkok, Thailand. In this position, he oversaw all operations in Asia.

Mr Powell’s other assignments at WFP have included: Regional Director of the Asia and Eastern Europe Bureau, Rome (2000-2001); Regional Manager of the West and Central Asia Bureau and Country Director in Pakistan (1999-2000); Director of the Strategy and Policy Division, Rome (1993-1999); and Regional Manager of the Asia and Pacific Bureau, Rome (1990-1993). Prior to joining the World Food Programme in 1990, Mr Powell spent three years with the World Bank’s Latin America and Caribbean Division and more than 25 years with the Australian Government.

An Australian national, Mr Powell was born in Griffith, Australia in 1945. He is a graduate of the University of Canberra and a Barrister of the High Court of Australia and Supreme Courts of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. He is married with three children.

For more information on John M. Powell’s visit, please, contact Veronika Frolova or Sergiy Grytsenko, via phone: (8044) 254 00 35, (8044) 253 93 63.