April 16-17, The First Regular 2020 WFP Executive Board Session originally scheduled for late February due to the COVID-19 situation in Italy was held online.

During the session, the WFP report on the working methods and the main results of the Program’s activities during the intercessional period, including, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of the WFP Integrated Roadmap for 2017-2021, were considered alongside evaluation reports on the emergency response of the Program (2012-2018), as well as human resources management (2014-2017).

WFP Executive Director D.Beasley focused on the possible negative consequences of restrictions on global food production and its distribution under the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted the necessity to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need of food, especially in “hot spots”, as well as to implement development programs, in particular, school feeding programs that are currently on hold. In addition, D.Beasley emphasized the important logistic function of the WFP within the UN, while emphasizing the leading role of the Program in the work “in the field”.

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Gebreisus, attended the session as a special guest. In his appeal he called for coordinated action by all UN Agencies and member countries in countering the global pandemic.

In his statement The Permanent Representative of Russia to FAO and other UN Agencies in Rome V.L.Vasiliev welcomed WFP's efforts to save lives
and minimize the effects of the pandemic on the most vulnerable groups
in collaboration with other UN agencies. He called for increased collective international efforts within the United Nations to counter the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasized the coordinating role of WHO in this matter as well as clearly voiced the position against any attempts to politicize the coronavirus situation. He emphasized Russia’s commitment to the UN General Assembly Resolution on Global Solidarity in the fight against COVID-19 (74/270 of April 3, 2020), while at the same time regretted that a number of countries opposed the draft Declaration of Solidarity in combating the Coronavirus Pandemic that Russia proposed for consideration by the UN General Assembly, calling in particular for the lifting of illegal sanctions and ending trade wars.

The full statement of the Russian Representative is posted on the website of the Permanent Mission.