Islamabad
The United States government is providing an additional $27 million in food assistance to the people of Pakistan this year through the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Pakistan Mission Director Greg Gottlieb announced the additional funding, which supplements the $34 million that the United States has already provided in food assistance to Pakistan since October 2014, at a press conference and photo exhibition opening on Wednesday.
“This money will help buy food for struggling families, especially those
from the FATA region. For many, the food that the United States provides
serves as their main source of food supply,” Gottlieb said. “Food support
is a foundation upon which people can rebuild their livelihoods and
communities.”
During the event, USAID Pakistan Mission Director Gottlieb, Federal
Minister for National Food Security & Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan,
and WFP Regional Director for Asia David Kaatrud also inaugurated a photo
exhibit which highlights the collaboration by the U.S. government, the
Government of Pakistan, and WFP to feed the country’s vulnerable
populations, including the 1.6 million temporarily displaced people from
FATA.
“The strategic partnership between the United States, WFP, and the
Government of Pakistan has improved the lives of millions of people in the
most vulnerable areas affected by natural and human-induced disasters
across the country,” WFP Regional Director Kaatrud said. “The generous
funding from USAID has provided over the years has improved food and
nutrition security, livelihoods, resilience and response capability to
sudden-onset emergencies which in turn contribute to the peace and
stability as well as economic development in Pakistan.”
The food assistance provided by the United States through WFP includes
donations of flour, oil, salt, and beans. Since 2010, the United States
has provided nearly $700 million in food assistance to the people of
Pakistan.
For more information about USAID’s humanitarian assistance, please visit:
http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security/food-assistance
