For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 4, 2001
U.S. Assistance to the Afghan People
Fact Sheet
After 22 years of war, three years of severe drought, and five years of
Taliban rule, Afghanistan now faces a major famine. The U.N. Security
Council has pointed to the Taliban's repressive policies and harassment of
expatriate relief agency workers as being directly responsible for the
current crisis.
Because of the Taliban, the world is likely to see death and
starvation on a massive scale as Afghanistan enters the coming
winter. Islam promotes charity, yet the Taliban has cut off
humanitarian assistance to the Afghan population.
As President Bush announced today, the United States is prepared to
contribute an additional $320 million in humanitarian assistance for
the Afghanistan and neighboring states suffering from
drought. The total includes $25 million authorized on
September 28 by the President from the Emergency Refugee and Migration
Assistance Fund to provide assistance to a potentially large number of
refugees who could cross from Afghanistan into the surrounding
countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and
Turkmenistan. Additional assistance totaling $295 million
will be provided through United Nations assistance agencies, the
International Committee of the Red Cross, nongovernmental
organizations, and through direct provision of food and relief
supplies.
The United States has led the international community's response to
the suffering of the Afghan people.
The United States has contributed more than $1 billion in
humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people since 1979, more than any
other country.
Since the beginning of fiscal year 2001, the United States provided
nearly $184 million in humanitarian aid to Afghans. This
amount includes contributions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture
($99.8 million), the U.S. Agency for International Development ($50.55
million), the Department of State ($32.6 million); and the Centers for
Disease Control ($569,000).
The United States has supplied more than 80 percent of all food
shipments sent to vulnerable Afghans through the United Nations' World
Food Program, and will continue to be the leading food donor to the
Afghan people.
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