 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
USAID Information:
External Links:
|
|
|
|
|
USAID Airlifts $2.9M of Emergency Commodities to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2007
Press Office: 202-712-4320
Public Information: 202-712-4810
www.usaid.gov
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is airlifting to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) essential household items including plastic sheeting for building temporary shelters, blankets, cooking sets and other supplies that will benefit up to 100,000 people. The value of the commodities including transportation is about $2.9 million.
Supplies stockpiled in the DRC by USAID's partner UNICEF were exhausted due to the sudden upsurge in displaced population. As a result, USAID immediately responded by airlifting commodities from pre-positioned stockpiles in Dubai and Italy to Goma in the North Kivu province of DRC. Additional commodities not in USAID stockpiles were rapidly sourced and procured.
"These commodities are urgently needed in the DRC. USAID is sending about 22 cargo planes full of commodities to Goma in a 10-day period to assure that those in need are given assistance as quickly as possible," said Gregory Gottlieb, USAID's acting assistant administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance.
The USAID commodities will be distributed by UNICEF to those in the Masisi and Rutshuru territories who have yet to receive assistance and ensure UNICEF is prepared to respond to future displacements in the North Kivu province.
"These supplies are essential to continue meeting the basic livelihood needs of the tens of thousands of recently displaced children and their families in the province," said Gorma Julien Harneis, UNICEF's chief of field operations for the DRC.
Since early September, there have been at least 90,000 newly displaced people in North Kivu province. Overall, the troubled North Kivu province in DRC is facing the worst displacement in over three years, with some 300,000 Congolese uprooted since December 2006. The new displacements have been caused by fighting between government troops and dissident forces.
Since 1998, USAID has provided more than $450 million in humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in the DRC, including support for food security and agriculture activities, health care and transportation of relief personnel and materials.
For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit: www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
Back to Top ^
|
RSS Feed for Recent USAID Press Releases
