UN WFP to ship 11,500 tonnes of sorghum to East Africa

Nov 27, 2018: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) logistics base in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will be shipping 11,500 tonnes of sorghum for Djibouti and its subsequent distribution in humanitarian operations in East Africa.

The president of State Ports, Ornella Chacon, the president of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, Juan Jose Cardona, and the corporate director of State Ports, Magec Montedescoa, visited the sorghum loading operation on the ship MV Inchcap, chartered by WFP for the occasion. This is the first shipment of food to East Africa from WFP's logistics base in Las Palmas.

“Through this sorghum shipment to Yemen, WFP's Las Palmas base demonstrates its ability to respond to the most pressing humanitarian needs wherever they occur,” said Ivelina Nunes, incoming director of WFP's Las Palmas logistics base. “This is possible thanks to the benefits and services available at the Port of Las Palmas, as well as the constant encouragement of the Spanish authorities.” 

Most of the sorghum shipment is expected to be distributed to the most vulnerable people in South Sudan, where WFP is working to provide food for five million people affected by the conflict. 

In Las Palmas, MV Inchcap will load 6,500 tonnes of sorghum in bulk and 5,000 tonnes of cargo in bags in order to facilitate their unloading at the destination port. Once the loading operation, which will last several days, is completed, the ship will depart for Djibouti.

Las Palmas logistics base contributes to WFP’s humanitarian emergency response operations by pre-positioning and transhipping food and other supplies needed for humanitarian work. Las Palmas facility is integrated into an innovative management system that has reduced WFP’s food delivery time from 120 days to 38 days in a continuous improvement effort to save lives. 

The base was established in 2012 thanks to an agreement between WFP, State Ports and the Spanish ministry of foreign affairs, European Union and Cooperation, through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID). Meanwhile, Cabildo de Gran Canaria supports the work of the base by ceding the use of facilities.