30 October 2001

Fact Sheet: USAID Central Asian Emergency Report, Oct. 30

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) reports that the Taliban is seizing food aid intended for the Afghan people from the World Food Program (WFP). The WFP is one of the primary humanitarian agencies attempting to move food into Afghanistan where an estimated 5-7 million people could face shortages in the coming winter.

More than 20 years of war and several years of recent drought have caused an estimated 4 million Afghans to leave their country to become refugees in one of the neighboring Central Asian nations. As instability in the country has mounted since September 11, an additional 100,000 have fled into Pakistan, according to the estimates from the U.N. refugee agency and quoted by USAID.

Following is the text of the USAID fact sheet:

Note: this Fact Sheet updates previously released Central Asia Region Fact Sheets and Situation Reports.

Numbers Affected

• According to a joint assessment by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and Pakistani authorities, the total influx of Afghan refugees into Pakistan since September 11, 2001 is estimated at 100,000 to 110,000. Afghanistan

• USAID/OFDA's Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) in Pakistan reported that the Taliban seized 1,600 metric tons (MT) of food and vehicles from the U.N. World Food Program's (WFP) warehouse in Kandahar. The Taliban has occupied WFP's Kandahar warehouse since October 18, but has only recently seized assets. --WFP reported October 29 that wheat is still available in local markets in Kandahar, though prices have increased more than 50 percent. WFP has not distributed food in the city since international staff evacuated on September 13. --According to WFP, there are currently no relief agencies active in Kandahar. --According to WFP, the cost of transport from Peshawar to Kabul has increased more than 17 percent. --WFP reported October 29 that it is continuing to step up food aid deliveries into Afghanistan, but that distribution within the country remains problematic. Security concerns, fuel shortages, and a lack of trucks are the main obstacles. Nonetheless, WFP reported that its new strategy of bypassing urban hubs, which have been plagued by insecurity and asset seizures, in favor of direct deliveries to affected districts appears to be successful. Pakistan

• UNHCR reported that it plans to begin using 15 of the campsites that it has been developing in Pakistan. The sites can accommodate up to 150,000 people. The new sites are intended to meet the needs of the more than 100,000 people estimated to have crossed into Pakistan to date. --UNHCR reported that Pakistani authorities have agreed to let vulnerable people from Afghanistan cross the border, such as women, children, the elderly, and those with health problems.

U.S. Government Activities

New Actions

• USAID/OFDA is providing $6,000,000 to WFP for the purchase, transport, and bagging of 15,000 MT of wheat. --The Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM) has provided $18,260,000 in new funds to support appeals from the International Committee of the Red Cross ($6,500,000), International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ($3,000,000), International Organization for Migration ($2,000,000), and U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ($2,000,000), in addition to program support for WFP ($4,000,000), the U.N. Population Fund ($600,000), and U.N. Development Program ($160,000). --To date, the Department of Defense (DOD) has airdropped 994,080 Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) valued at $4,274,544 into Afghanistan. Disaster Declarations & Background

• On October 4, 2001, Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina B. Rocca redeclared a complex humanitarian disaster for Afghanistan for FY 2002. --On October 10, 2001, U.S. Charg��d'Affaires James A. Boughner declared a disaster for Tajikistan due to drought.

FY 2001 USG Assistance to Afghanistan

Total USAID/OFDA $12,599,441

Total USAID/FFP $31,200,000

Total USAID/DG $310,000

Total USDA $99,800,000

Total State/PRM $29,828,659

Total State/HDP $2,800,000

Total State/INL $1,500,000

Total CDC $569,525

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2001 $178,607,625

FY 2002 USG Assistance to Afghanistan

Total USAID/OFDA $34,923,766

Total USAID/FFP $38,555,000

Total State/PRM $28,260,000

Total DOD $4,274,544

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance FY 2002 $106,013,310

TOTAL USG Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan FY 2001/2002 $284,620,935 USG Assistance to Tajikistan

Total USG Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2001 $67,210,000

Total USAID/OFDA Assistance to Tajikistan FY 2002 $998,180