India gives humanitarian assistance to Mongolia

New Delhi, Apr 15 (UNI) India today announced 5000 MT of rice and an equal quantity of sugar as humanitarian assistance to the people of Mangolia to tide over the food crisis the country is facing.

An external Affairs Ministry spokesman said here that to ''further strengthen the friendly relations and sentiments,'' the Government of India would give 5000 MT of Rice and 5000 MT of Sugar as assistance to the people of Mangolia.

The consignment is likely to reach Mangolia in May, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said India and Mangolia enjoy traditionally friendly relations based on historical and civilisational links between our two peoples.

In modern times, the two countries have continued to build and expand bilateral relations based on shared historical and cultural legacy, the spokesman said.

Mongolia, which has registered nine per cent economic growth in the past, is fearing a negative impact of the deepening global food crisis.

The World Food Programme, the biggest humanitarian effort on earth, has launched an "extraordinary emergency appeal" to governments to donate to avoid rationing food aid in response to surging commodity prices, including the cost of food and fuel.

Soaring food prices are affecting millions of people across the world. World food prices have risen 45 per cent in the last nine months.

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