USG Humanitarian Aid Arrives in Tbilisi
In response to the armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region of South Ossetia and across Georgia, the United States has provided over $3.8 million in assistance to the people of Georgia to date. Working in close coordination with the government of Georgia, U.S. assistance is being provided through non-governmental and international organizations working in the affected areas. As of August 14, two US C-17 aircraft have transported needed medical supplies and emergency assistance. Special Envoy and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza, and Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs Alexander Kvitashvili met the first airplane and gave statements at the airport press conference. These are the first in a series of US Government emergency airlifts that come from the United States European Command (EUCOM) in response to the Georgian Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) and Ministry of Refugee and Accommodation requests for humanitarian assistance. The airplane cargo consisted of cots, sleeping bags, blankets, medicines, and medical equipment such as syringes, needles, and surgical items as requested by the Georgian Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs. The total value of these two shipments is approximately $1.28 million. A shipment of approximately 103,000 doses of the antibiotic Sefzil arrived by August 16 on a US C-130 airlift. At the White House on August 13th, President Bush announced that he directed Defense Secretary Robert Gates to begin a humanitarian mission to Georgia led by the US military. "This mission will be vigorous and ongoing," Bush said. This latest US assistance follows an initial $250,000 of emergency relief funding provided to Georgia through USAID. These funds have supported NGOs to distribute emergency airlift cargo and provide food and health support to internally displaced persons. The US Embassy in Tbilisi also has released a pre-positioned disaster package valued at $1.2 million that includes tents, cots, blankets, bedding, basic medical supplies and hygiene items. USAID is coordinating the distribution of the humanitarian assistance through four partners: the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Counterpart International, World Vision Georgia and CARE. Additionally, USAID provided $1 million on August 14th to the United Nations' World Food Programme for the procurement of more than 650 metric tons of emergency food commodities, of which approximately 31 metric tons are currently in-country. Distribution of the emergency aid began on August 15th by UMCOR (medical supplies) and Counterpart International (emergency housing items). The United States will airlift additional relief supplies to Tbilisi in the coming days. The United States stands prepared to provide further assistance to the people of Georgia as further needs are identified in the days and weeks to come. The US is prepared to help with more than emergency needs and is looking ahead to longer-term reconstruction and development programs that will help the people of Georgia rebuild, recover and prosper in the aftermath of this conflict.
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