AMMAN — The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners are distributing Saudi dates to 236,000 refugees and vulnerable Jordanians this month, as part of a contribution from the Government of Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KS Relief).

 

In total, 319 metric tonnes of dates have been donated to WFP Jordan, out of the 14,000 metric tonnes given to WFP in 14 countries across the world, according to a WFP statement.

 

During a handover ceremony held on Sunday at the WFP warehouse, Saud Al Hazeem, director of the KS Relief, said that the dates will be distributed in two cycles to 126,000 vulnerable Jordanians and 110,000 refugees living in Zaatari and Azraq camps, stressing that this contribution is part of the charitable initiatives that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia offers to people in need all over the world, according to the statement.

 

Deputy Saudi Ambassador Thamer Al Shabeeb and WFP’s Country Director and Representative Sarah Gordon-Gibson attended the ceremony.

 

“We thank the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the KS Relief for their continued support. Healthy and nutritious dates play an important part in the Middle Easter diet. They have arrived just on time for distribution to vulnerable Jordanians and Syrian refugees ahead of Eid Al Adha”, said Sarah Gordon-Gibson in the statement.