DUSHANBE, February 26, Asia-Plus  -- 25 countries of the world have provided humanitarian aid to Tajikistan in January-February this year. 

During this period, 3,700 tons of goods wroth $9.1 million were delivered to the country, according to figures provided by the State Committee for Statistics. 

2,425 tons of wheat flour worth $1.2 million, 194 tons of vegetable oil ($370,000) and other goods have been distributed to certain regions of the country over the report period.   

Among the donor countries the greatest share in value came from the United States – 64.7 percent, Russia – 15.7 percent, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – 1.9 percent, India – 1.5 percent.  

In the meantime, the World Food Program (WFP) on March 20 issued an extraordinary emergency appeal to address the critical funding gap in its programs created by soaring food and fuel prices, according to the UN News Center.  The gap, which stood at US$500 million on February 25, has been growing daily.

Soaring food prices are affecting millions of people across the world - most of all those living on the edge of poverty and hunger, the appeal said.

For WFP, as an organization entirely dependent on voluntary contributions, the impact of rising food and fuel prices represents nothing less than a global emergency.  Donors are being asked to boost funding to make up the gap, simply to allow the agency to reach the people it originally planned to assist this year, without even allowing for any new emergencies that are likely to occur - or any further prices rises.

WFP is charged with meeting the urgent hunger needs of the world’s most vulnerable.  It operates across the globe with communities reeling from the shock of storms, drought, conflict or other disasters. “Today, we meet the emergency needs of up to three million people a day in Darfur alone, and of 70 million more in up to 80 nations,” the emergency appeal said. 

According to the appeal, in 15 countries, including Tajikistan, price rises are expected to have a direct impact.  

We will recall that speaking at the first session of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Coordinating Council on Emergencies (CCE) in Moscow on March 19, the head of the Tajik Committee for Emergency Situations Khaybullo Latipov said that Tajikistan''s coldest winter in 25 years has cost Tajikistan’s economy $850 million in losses.