Indian Naval Ship Airavatis escorting MV Juist, a merchant ship transporting food material under the aegis of the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP). MV Juist departed Berbera, the western-most port of Somalia, with over 3,000 tonnes of food material that needs to be shipped to Mogadishu.
Indian Navy is providing protection to merchant vessels that frequent the Somali Coast, to ensure safety of crew and goods against pirates that operate in the area. The escort of the WFP ship is also to set an example of Indian Navy‘s commitment towards safety and observance of international maritime laws within Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Indian NAVY & WFP
Indian Navy has always provided the required support to UN’s WFP programme especially WFP’s missions in the IOR. UN’s WFP is assisting almost 100 million people in around 83 countries each year. The WFP is the leading humanitarian organisation with focus on saving lives and delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.
The Indian Navy escorts Merchant vessels carrying food under UN’S WFP programme. On any given day, WFP has 5,600 trucks, 30 ships and nearly 100 planes on the move, delivering food and other assistance to those in most need. Every year, we distribute more than 15 billion rations at an estimated average cost per ration ofUS$ 0.31. These numbers lie at the roots of WFP’s unparalleled reputation as an emergency responder, one that gets the job done quickly at scale in the most difficult environments. Since most Merchant vessels operate under this programme the MVs that operate under IOR are given the required support and security by the Indian Navy.