June 9, 2005
No. 25/05

President Bush Announces $674 Million in Additional Aid for Africa - U.S. president, British PM ask world community to increase humanitarian aid

On June 7, 2005, President Bush announced that the United States will provide approximately $674 million in additional resources to respond to humanitarian emergencies in Africa and, along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, he called on the international community to increase its funding for humanitarian emergencies in Africa.

Of the funds, US$150 million will be provided immediately to address humanitarian conditions in Ethiopia.

Bush and Blair "are taking decisive action now" so that assistance can be delivered to those in need, according to the White House.  "Other interventions," it added, "are needed in a timely, complementary manner elsewhere in Africa."

In addition to this new contribution announced in Washington on June 7, the U.S. Government through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in calendar year 2005 has provided more than US$132 million (2,396,050,000 birr) in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia.  This includes a total of 255,499 MT of emergency food aid valued at US$120 million (1,038,000,000 birr) and US$12 million (103,800,000 birr) of emergency relief supplies and support for health, nutrition, agriculture and livestock, water and sanitation, and rapid response interventions.

With the British Government, the United States is also continuing its strong support for the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program.  This critical and innovative program addresses the needs of Ethiopia’s chronically food insecure and strives to end food aid dependency.  Since October 2004, USAID has provided 254,031 MT of food aid, valued at over US$127 million (1,098,550,000 birr) for the implementation of the Productive Safety Net Program.  In addition, USAID has provided a total of US$18 million (155,700,000 birr) in grants to support the Productive Safety Net Program.  This funding has enabled capacity development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Food Security Coordination Bureau for program start-up; funded partnerships between NGOs and program implementers at the regional, woreda, and community levels to build capacity and put in place livelihood and income diversification activities; and provided innovative alternative-technology programs to support on- and off-farm income generation.

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