MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
McMullan
The Australian Government will provide $1.2 million in additional humanitarian assistance to meet the essential needs of vulnerable communities in Bangladesh.
'We will provide $700,000 through the World Food Programme (WFP) to help meet food aid needs of communities still enduring the effects of Cyclone Sidr, which struck late last year, killing more than 3,000 people,' said Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan.
The WFP has appealed for further funds for its program to bridge significant food shortages until the harvest later this year. As well as food rations, this assistance will help rebuild livelihoods through cash-for-work activities and support school feeding programs.
'We've seen over past weeks, the devastating effects of Cyclone Nargis on the people of Burma,' said Mr McMullan.
'In Bangladesh, communities which survived Cyclone Sidr are now being hit again by increasing food prices, making returning to normal life, work and school much harder.
'Our support through the WFP will help provide people with a safety net of basic commodities such as rice and cooking oil as they rebuild their lives.'
This assistance is additional to our previous contribution of $9.5 million through UN agencies and local and international organisations, for communities affected by Cyclone Sidr.
Australia will also provide $500,000 in emergency assistance for remote indigenous communities suffering severe food shortages because of a rat plague in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region.
Australia's contribution will comprise $300,000 through the WFP for food, and $200,000 through the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for safe food storage equipment and rat control measures.
Rats have decimated crops and grain stores leaving 128,000 people short of food in the lead-up to the monsoon.
Media contact: Sabina Curatolo (Mr McMullan's Office) 0400 318 205
AusAID Public Affairs 0417 680 590