The APTERR Secretariat led by General Manager (GM) Dr. Choomjet Karnjanakesorn delivered 554 MT of APTERR rice contributed by the Republic of Korea (ROK) through its pre-positioned stockpiled rice system under Tier 3 programme to meet urgent needs of people affected by devastating Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine state, Myanmar.
The event, on 28 June 2023, was presided by Union Minister for Cooperatives and Development of Rural Development U Hla Moe. There were also representatives from the Rakhine state government led by Rakhine State Chief Minister U Htin Lin, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation (MOALI), led by Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr. Aung Gyi who accompanied with Deputy Director General of Department of Agriculture (DOA) and the APTERR Council member U Thura Soe, the Myanmar National Disaster Management Committee as well as local media attending. They expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to the ROK and the APTERR Secretariat for a generous rice contribution to safeguard food insecurity in Rakhine state.
Dr. Choomjet with Union Minister for Cooperatives and Development of Rural Development (MCRD) U Hla Moe (centre), Rakhine State Chief Minister U Htin Lin (5th from right), Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation Dr. Aung Gyi (4th from right), Deputy Director General of DOA and the APTERR Council member U Thura Soe (left) and the Myanmar National Disaster Management Committee at the handover of APTERR rice for humanitarian assistance to people affected by Cyclone Mocha in Rakhine state.
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Dr. Choomjet discussed with Union Minister for Cooperatives and Development of Rural Development U Hla Moe (right) on the APTERR rice assistance to people affected by Cyclone Mocha.
The APTERR rice would be distributed to over hundred thousand of affected people in 17 townships in Rakhine state. Recognising the basic principles of humanitarian assistance, the APTERR Secretariat has been continuously working with our counterpart, the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation of Myanmar, to ensure that the full and effective distribution would be carried out and all affected people could be able to access the rice assistance by leaving no one behind.
In this occasion, the APTERR Secretariat had an opportunity to meet with affected people and visit some villages in Sittwe, Rakhine state to observe the widespread impacts of this catastrophic disaster.