World Food Program delivers aid to millions with Türkiye's support

By Busranur Koca

The UN World Food Program (WFP) announced Wednesday that it has sourced over a half-billion dollars’ worth of food and logistics services from Türkiye over the past two years to support millions in crisis zones such as Palestine, facing over 14 months of an Israeli assault, and Sudan, going through a destructive civil war.

According to the WFP, Türkiye has played a pivotal role as a supply and logistics hub for WFP operations, enabling the swift delivery of aid to regions affected by conflict and food insecurity.

This partnership has been particularly critical for recent shipments to the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The variety and high quality of food products sourced from Türkiye have been instrumental in providing effective and nutritious food aid. Over the past week alone, nearly 1 million tons of essential food products, including 1,500 tons of hot meals, have been shipped from Türkiye to Gaza.

These shipments were carefully coordinated to ensure they reached those in need as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Stephen Cahill, WFP country director in Türkiye, stressed the urgency of maintaining supply chains, particularly in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is deteriorating rapidly.

“The situation in Gaza is dire, and time is running out. It is essential to ensure that life-saving humanitarian cargo is not delayed or restricted. Maintaining robust supply lines from Türkiye not only addresses the immediate food needs of families in Gaza but also strengthens the overall regional response to food insecurity," Cahill said.

The WFP’s collaboration with Turkish partners has been central to the timely delivery of essential supplies, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in addressing humanitarian crises.