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U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202001-088
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2001Contact: USAID Press Office
Lake Charles, Louisiana - Today, Bear McConnell, Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Central Asia Task Force, delivered remarks at the Port Lake Charles where the M/V Jia Xing will depart carrying 10,000 metric tons of food for the people of Afghanistan.
A total of 6,900 metric tons will be delivered to Bandar Abbas, Iran, and the remaining 3,100 metric tons will reach Afghanistan via Karachi, Pakistan. The total cost of the freight and commodities is nearly $5.3 million.
“Americans can take pride in knowing they are playing a significant role in saving the lives of a people who have endured years of war, drought and famine,” McConnell said. “By bringing food to the people of Afghanistan, we bring them hope for a safer and better future not only for themselves, but for the world.”
“We are encouraged by the progress for getting food into Afghanistan before the winter,” said Andrew S. Natsios, Administrator for USAID, who just returned from the Central Asian Republics and Afghanistan where he assessed the state of the humanitarian efforts in the region.
The ship will contain the following commodities:
- 1,120 metric tons of yellow peas in 50 kilo bags
- 2,800 metric tons of vegetable oil in boxes of 6x4 liter containers
- 3,380 metric tons of corn-soy blend in 25 kilo bags -- corn, soybean flour & vegetable oil
- 500 metric tons of wheat-soy blend in 25 kilo bags- wheat, soybean flour & vegetable oil
- 2,200 metric tons of lentils in 50 kilo bags
The ship arrived in the Port of Lake Charles on November 16. The estimated time of departure will be November 20th or 21st, and its time of arrival into Karachi, Pakistan is on or around December 20.
The food will be delivered to the World Food Program for direct distribution by truck into Afghanistan. The United States has supplied more than 80 percent of all food aid for vulnerable Afghans through the World Food Program and will continue to be the leading food donor to Afghan people.
Afghanistan was the U.S. government’s number one recipient of humanitarian assistance prior to September 11, and remains so today. The U.S. Agency for International Development is the U.S. government agency that has provided development and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 40 years.
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