FAO to set up project office in Ukraine

Kiev, Sep 28 (IANS) The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) will set up a project office in Ukraine, the Kiev government said in a statement.

The government has authorised Yulia Svyrydenko, the First Deputy Prime Minister, to sign the deal with the FAO, Xinhua news agency quoted the statement as saying.

"The adoption of the agreement and the establishment of the FAO office in Ukraine will raise cooperation to a much higher level," Svyrydenko, who is also the Economy Minister, was quoted as saying.

According to the Minister, the creation of the FAO office will help to support Ukraine's agricultural producers and facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid to all the people in need in the wake of the ongoing war.

It would also enhance the cooperation between Ukraine and the FAO on agricultural exports, Svyrydenko added.

Between late February and mid-August, the FAO provided emergency agricultural assistance, such as seeds and multi-purpose cash aid, to 80,000 people in 13 regions of the war-torn nation, according to the statement.