UN food agency honours its first Saudi special ambassador

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has honoured Abdulaziz Arrukban, the first Saudi citizen to have volunteered to work with the agency to raise awareness about hunger issues and funds to help alleviate it.

WFP Executive Director James Morris congratulated Mr. Arrukban on his role as a Special Ambassador at a meeting in Rome last week and presented him with a WFP-emblazoned field jacket and a bronze statue of a child from Uganda.

“Mr. Arrukban has worked tirelessly and hard to strengthen our relationship with Saudi Arabia and his efforts have translated into food aid that saved the lives of hungry and destitute people in various African and Asian countries,” Mr. Morris said.

For his part, Mr. Arrukban said he was “delighted and honoured to have this volunteer job with such a great organization where I can also serve my country.”

Mr. Arrukban, a businessman, is currently accompanying His Royal Highness Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal on a visit to Kenya.

So far in 2006, Saudi Arabia has given WFP over $10 million for projects in Pakistan, Cambodia and the Horn of Africa.