MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Billson
Australia will provide up to $1 million in additional aid to help those most affected by recent floods in Bangladesh, the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Bruce Billson, announced today.
'Our further contribution will support the 'food for work' programs as part of ongoing emergency operations set up by the World Food Programme (WFP), following devastating floods in July and September,' Mr Billson said.
'The programs will create jobs for around 400,000 people to restore infrastructure, including rural roads and embankments. In exchange for work, the WFP will distribute food to high-risk groups, including pregnant women, nursing mothers and more than one million children at risk of malnutrition.
'For Bangladesh's northern districts the next two months will be critical as food supplies run out ahead of the rice harvest in December and January.
'Australia's humanitarian response to Bangladesh is part of our sustained aid engagement to help people in need throughout South Asia. Working through the WFP, Australia is the largest single donor of food aid to Bangladesh.
'This latest emergency humanitarian contribution brings Australia's assistance in the wake of the floods to $25.8 million. In August, we provided 67,000 tonnes of wheat to a United Nations Flash Appeal and $600,000 to international agencies and local NGOs for the rebuilding of schools and the provision of water purification tablets and other emergency supplies.
'The worst flooding in Bangladesh for six years, has claimed more than 760 lives, damaged at least two million homes and destroyed more than a million hectares of crops.
'The Australian Government is committed to an effective, ongoing aid program in the region and also responding to disasters to help communities in need,' Mr Billson said.
In 2004-2005, Australia increased overseas aid funding by nearly ten per cent to an estimated $2.133 billion and augmented by an estimated $14 million to $146 million, our international humanitarian, emergency and refugee programs.
Media inquiries:
Shane Fairlie (Mr Billson's office) 03 9781 2333 or 0408 680 442
Jo Elsom (AusAID) 02 6206 4960 or 0412 804 489