ASK THE AMBASSADOR

Question: What is the U.S. doing to help the victims of the cyclone? 

Ambassador:  As you know, Turkey has sent aid to the people there. The United States views with grave concern the cyclone that affected Burma and that has affected the lives of many hundreds of thousands of Burmese citizens.  We extend our sympathies to them.  In keeping with a longstanding tradition of humanitarian aid to people in need, we are extending urgent assistance to the people of Burma.  On May 12, US Agency for International Development Administrator Henrietta H. Fore and US Pacific Command Commander Admiral Timothy J. Keating accompanied the first airlift of USAID commodities from Utaphao, Thailand, to Rangoon. A U.S. Department of Defense C-130 delivered 10,800 insecticide-treated mosquito nets, 8,300 bottles of water, and 1,350 blankets, valued at $67,710. Two additional flights are planned for May 13.

Administrator Fore announced $13 million in additional aid to Burma on May 12, bringing the total value of U.S. Government assistance to more than $16.3 million. USAID's Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) will provide approximately $12 million to the U.N. World Food Program for food aid, and USAID’s Office ofForeign Disaster Assistance will provide approximately $1 million to support WFP's logistics and coordination services for non-governmental organizations.

A USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team remains in Bangkok, Thailand, coordinating US assistance and awaiting Government of Burma approval to enter the country.  We continue to urge the Burmese regime to allow international humanitarian relief teams access to affected regions in Burma to speed assistance to the people who need it most.  The scale of this disaster requires a massive humanitarian response. 

For more information on US efforts to help with this disaster, visit: http://www.usaid.gov/locations/asia/countries/burma/cyclone_nargis