MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce Australia will provide food aid and training
assistance to help with North Korea's ongoing humanitarian and development
needs.
Prospects for food security in North Korea continue to be very poor. Recent
prolonged dry weather has led to further crop failures, exacerbating food
shortages following last year's poor harvest. In the short term, large numbers
of North Korea's 22 million people are once again threatened by famine.
The Australian Government's Overseas Aid Agency, AusAID, will help alleviate
the impact of the famine by providing $5 million for the purchase of Australian
wheat through the World Food Program. The wheat will be used to feed those most
vulnerable, including small children in orphanages, nurseries and kindergartens,
students in primary and secondary schools, and expectant and nursing mothers.
Australia will also continue to provide training in high priority areas.
Through UNICEF, four officers from North Korea's Central Bureau of Statistics
will receive training in Australia in data gathering, statistical surveying and
analysis. This will help to improve North Korea's assessment of women and
children's nutritional status.
Australian aid to North Korea is part of an international effort to overcome
the terrible famine there. In discussions with the North Korean Foreign
Minister, Mr Paek Nam-sun, I will again urge the DPRK to ensure that
international aid workers are given adequate access to enable distribution to
those most in need and proper monitoring of the humanitarian assistance.
Since 1996/97 Australia has provided $38.3 million in development assistance
to the DPRK, including $28.9 million in humanitarian aid.
Media contacts:
Matt Francis (Ministerial) 02 6277 7500 / 0419 206 890
Fionna Douglas (AusAID) 02 6206 4960 / 0412 804