President Karis: Jordan’s land corridor is essential for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza

President Alar Karis visited the World Food Programme (WFP) centre in Amman yesterday, which in partnership with Jordan is sending humanitarian aid to people affected by the conflict in the Middle East - those in Gaza and more recently also in Lebanon.

President Karis says it is crucial to ensure that aid reaches those in need in Gaza safely and unobstructed. "It is worrying that humanitarian access to Gaza has been severely hampered," he said. "We need to do everything we can to ensure that help reaches those in need securely and without delay. Every day that aid is delayed means further human suffering."

The head of state stressed the vital nature of the relief efforts of Jordan and the World Food Programme, which provide essential support to more than a million people in Gaza. "Jordan's land corridor is the only route by which humanitarian aid is currently able to reach Gaza over land," he noted.

In partnership with Jordan, the WFP delivers a limited amount of food and non-food items to people in need, but the restricted capacity of the land corridor and the precarious security situation make it difficult to deliver the aid either safely or consistently: at present, only around 20% of the total aid required is reaching those who need it.

On the matter of food security, President Karis pointed out that Russia's war against Ukraine has increased food prices and led to greater hunger and suffering in many places around the world. "Although Russia's aggression has disrupted key supply chains, we support Ukraine in its efforts to send its grain to regions with the greatest food shortages, including Gaza," he said. "In fact, Ukrainian aid has reached the people of Gaza through this very centre." Estonia backs the 'Grain from Ukraine' initiative, which has enabled food aid to be delivered to the least food-secure regions of Africa and Asia.

Estonia has been supporting humanitarian crisis relief via the World Food Programme since 2008. Most recently, the country provided aid to Yemen, Sudan and Gaza.

Gallery (Office of the President of the Republic/Raigo Pajula): https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBQu2H