22 August 2008
Addis Abeba — The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Tuesday announced that it was expediting the shipment of nearly 24,000 metric tons (MT) of food aid to help the millions of people in need of assistance in the Horn of Africa.
The shipment includes 9,390 MT of split yellow peas, 6,150 MT of vegetable oil, 6,320 MT of corn soy blend, and 1,400 MT of wheat flour, the agency said in a statement.
"This is only one of multiple strategies USAID is implementing to alleviate impacts of the world food crisis in that region and elsewhere around the world", it said.
Accordingly, USAID's Office of Food for Peace plans to provide over 1 million MT of food, valued at more than $857 million, to Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti in fiscal year 2008 in response to the drought emergency affecting the Horn of Africa.
"USAID is committed to helping the people in the Horn of Africa who have been so greatly affected by drought, civil insecurity, and rising local and global food prices," said USAID Administrator Henrietta H. Fore in the statement.
"Our team in the region is working tirelessly to get aid to those inneed as soon as possible." This expedited shipment is expected to arrive in port in the Horn of Africa approximately 10 weeks after the food aid tender was issued. The food was loaded onto a vessel that is scheduled to depart the Port of Houston this week and is expected to arrive at port in the Horn of Africa in mid-September.
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