OPEC donates over 9 million USD emergency relief assistance

Addis Ababa, February 10(ENA)-- The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development has decided to make a 9.1 million USD donation for the emergency relief operation underway in Ethiopia.

The organization told Ethiopian Embassy in Vienna that the donation was part of the 20 million USD earmarked by OPEC to support emergency relief activities in drought-hit nations of Southern and Eastern Africa , according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release sent to ENA on Monday.

The stated sum would be used to the procurement and distribution of food and non-food assistance to the drought victims through the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission (DPPC), the Embassy said.

Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Embassy in Ottawa, Canada says it has sent 10,809 USD it solicited from Ethiopians and Ethiopian friends in Canada to the DPPC.

Diplomats and staff of the Embassy had earlier raised 4,516 USD in support of drought-affected compatriots here, it said.

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