Samsun: A humanitarian aid ship carrying 20,000 tons of wheat from Ukraine arrived at the Toros Port in the northern province of Samsun, Trkiye, as part of a United Nations World Food Program (WFP) initiative aimed at supporting crisis-hit regions, including Syria.
According to Anadolu Agency, the Beirut-flagged "Brave Commander" was received with a ceremony attended by representatives from the WFP Trkiye Office, the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry, and the Samsun Governorship. Acting Deputy Governor of Samsun, Kemal Yildiz, described the shipment as a symbol of shared conscience and solidarity for all humanity. Yildiz emphasized Trkiye's leadership in supplying food to the UN agency and its voluntary contributions to the program since its inception.
Stephen Cahill, WFP country director in Trkiye, underscored the operation's significance, stating that the Port of Samsun serves as a crucial gateway for WFP's humanitarian efforts to end world hunger. He emphasized the importance of the "Brave Commander" in symbolizing international solidarity and swift humanitarian action. Cahill noted the ship's history with the Black Sea Grain Corridor Initiative, highlighting its importance for the WFP's operations.
Cahill acknowledged Trkiye's strategic role in global food distribution, revealing that the WFP had purchased $1.1 billion worth of food from Trkiye over the past five years for distribution as humanitarian aid worldwide. He mentioned that 5,000 of the 20,000 tons of wheat from the ship would be allocated for the WFP's humanitarian operations in Syria. He also pointed out the broader scope of WFP's work globally and the need for continued international cooperation, especially in light of ongoing global crises.
Ambassador Aylin Sekizkok, director general of International Economic Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, highlighted the growing global food crisis, noting that more than 840 million people face hunger. Sekizkok emphasized Trkiye's efforts to tackle global hunger by leveraging its agricultural capacity to deliver aid and sharing sustainable development expertise worldwide.