21 September 1998
TEXT: U.S. CONTRIBUTES ADDITIONAL FOOD AID TO NORTH KOREA
(Responds to WFP with 300,000 metric tons of wheat) (510) Washington -- The United States has decided to further respond to the January 1998 World Food Program appeal for food assistance for North Korea by contributing an additional 300,000 metric tons of wheat. According to a statement released by the State Department September 21, the U.S. assistance will be targeted at North Korean civilians who are most vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition caused by the food crisis, including children in nurseries, schools, and orphanages, pregnant/nursing women, handicapped people, and hospital patients, as well as the food-for-work programs to rehabilitate agricultural land damaged by deforestation or natural disaster. Following is the official text of the State Department statement: (begin text) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman (New York, New York) September 21, 1998 STATEMENT BY JAMES P. RUBIN, SPOKESMAN NORTH KOREA -- ADDITIONAL FOOD ASSISTANCE The United States, reaffirming its commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need, has decided that it will further respond to the January 1998 World Food Program appeal for food assistance to the DPRK by contributing an additional 300,000 metric tons of wheat. A portion of this assistance will be channeled through the WFP to the U.S. Private Volunteer Organizations (PVO) Consortium. This wheat will be provided as part of the President's July 18 wheat initiative using the authority of 416(b) of the 1949 Agriculture Act. Chronic food production shortfalls have resulted in widespread malnutrition in the DPRK, and this year's harvest is again expected to fall far short of production targets. WFP plans to conduct a detailed harvest assessment in the DPRK in October. In February, the U.S. announced a contribution of 200,000 metric tons to the 603,000 metric-ton World Food Program appeal for North Korea. The final shipment of that U.S. contribution is due to arrive this month. The PVO Consortium is monitoring the distribution of 75,000 metric tons at food-for-work sites, while the remaining 125,000 tons have been distributed by the WFP to the most vulnerable people, especially children. In discussing additional food assistance with the DPRK, the U.S. government stressed that adequate monitoring of such assistance is a requirement. So far, the international community, including the U.S., has contributed a total of 300,000 tons of food to the WFP appeal. We currently plan for the new U.S. contribution to be made in three tranches of approximately 100,000 metric tons each through the remainder of this year. U.S. assistance will be targeted at North Korean civilians who are most vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition caused by the food crisis, including children in nurseries, schools, and orphanages, pregnant/nursing women, handicapped people, and hospital patients, as well as the food-for-work programs to rehabilitate agricultural land damaged by deforestation or natural disaster. (end text)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
