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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
USAID Administrator Announces Additional Emergency Relief En Route to Southern Africa
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202002-098 (Revised)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2002Contact: USAID Press Office
Washington - Andrew S. Natsios, Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced today that additional food assistance is en route to southern Africa. The Marie Flood sailed for Southern Africa on August 3 with 33,500 metric tons of food relief. It is expected to arrive in Durban, South Africa, on September 4.
Another USAID-chartered ship, the M/V Liberty Sea, with a further 41,500 metric tons of corn, set sail for the region on August 6.
"The United States has committed almost a half million tons of food, half of the humanitarian food requirements for southern Africa through December 2002. The food aboard the Marie Flood will feed more than two million people for one month," said USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios.
It is estimated that nearly one million metric tons of food will be needed through December to feed the most vulnerable and affected populations. Having delivered or pledged more than 290,000 metric tons of food aid since the beginning of 2002, and with plans to provide another 190,000 metric tons of food very soon, at a total value of more than $230 million, the United States government is the largest donor to the World Food Program's operations in southern Africa. This contribution represents half of the humanitarian food requirement.
Up to 12.8 million people in six southern African countries - Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe - will be in need of humanitarian food aid between now and next year's March harvest. A four million metric ton cereal deficit is predicted for the six affected countries through March 2003. One third of this deficit is the humanitarian food requirement, with the remaining amount to be filled by government programs, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector. The ability of the commercial sector to import large quantities of food is essential to stave off famine. Given the uncertainties and the enormity of the need, the United States is urging other donors to contribute to the regional humanitarian food requirements.
USAID has monitored the food shortage in southern Africa since December 2001, and began providing food to the region in February 2002.
USAID is the government agency providing U.S. economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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Last Updated on: December 30, 2008 |
