HUMANITARIAN RELIEF HUB TO BE SET UP IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 25 (Bernama) -- The region's first humanitarian relief hub run by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will be set up in Malaysia at a cost of RM17 million (US$4.98 million.

The depot, to be located at the Subang airbase, will be WFP's fifth such hub in
the world and is designed to deliver humanitarian relief items within 48 hours
of a crisis occurring.

Foreign Ministry secretary-general Rastam Mohd Isa said the RM17 million
construction cost would be borne by Malaysia besides US$1 million (RM3.40
million) that would be contributed annually towards the operational cost of the
hub.

"This is a concrete commitment and contribution on the part of the
Government of Malaysia to the vital international effort of providing
humanitarian aid and assistance in times of need and emergency," he said during the
signing of the basic agreement between the government and the WFP, here Thursday.

The text of Rastam's speech was released by the Foreign Ministry in a statement.

He said the hub would be located on 12,000 sq metres of space, which included a
built-up area of 5,000 sq metres of permanent space for a new warehouse, an
office building and a training centre.

Rastam said the hub's strategic location, which is in the heart of South East
Asia, would enable the WFP to deliver humanitarian assistance in a quick, timely
and efficient manner for Asia and the Pacific region.

Malaysia would be joining other WFP relief hubs, presently located in Ghana,
United Arab Emirates, Panama and Italy, in providing emergency assistance and
services for humanitarian relief in the respective regions.
-- BERNAMA