The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Announcing a fresh US 40 million dollars food aid, the newly appointed US Ambassador James F Moriarty yesterday said his country would continue to support Bangladesh move forward, emphasising on "democracy, development and denial of space to terrorists."

This (US$ 40 million) would be in addition to the US's previous commitment for a total food assistance of over US$ 70 million dollars since October last, the Ambassador told a press conference at the American Club last afternoon.

Unlike his two predecessors, James Moriarty refrained from replying questions at his introductory news conference, which was attended by USAID Mission Director Ms Denise Rollins, who replied to the journalists.

The US has provided more than US5 billion dollars in development assistance, including over US 2.5 billion dollar in food aid, after the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent and sovereign country in 1971.

"These latest donations reflect our commitment to help build a brighter tomorrow, even for Bangladesh's most vulnerable citizens," James Moriarty said, renewing the US commitment to support the present Caretaker Government.

"My message to the people of this country is clear-we had been here before the cyclone; we were here during the initial emergency relief phase; and we are here now to help Bangladesh move forward," he asserted.

A good portion of the new US food aid will be used to feed pregnant and lactating mothers and children, Moriarty said.

As per the breakup of the latest aid commitment, 30 million dollar will be distributed over a period of three-year that targets school children throughout the country under a school feeding programme, while US 10 million dollar as emergency food aid.

Under the school-feeding programme of US 30 million dollar, each of 350,000 primary school children throughout the country will get 75 grams of high-energy biscuits each day as an incentive to stay in school.

"We are providing a means and an incentive for children to stay in school so Bangladesh can prepare the next generation of leaders," the Ambassador said, adding, "The emergency food aid of US 10 million dollar will be for direct food distribution among the Sidr-victims, who are still struggling to recover from the devastation."

It will also include the recovery activities through food-for-work and cash-for-work programmes, emergency school feeding, and feeding pregnant and lactating mothers and children, he added.

Earlier, in the day, Ambassador Moriarty called on Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and conveyed the US commitment to assist the Government and the people of Bangladesh.

Immediately after the cyclone Sidr, the United States provided US20 million dollar to alleviate human sufferings and has also been funding an ongoing food aid programme of US 48 million dollar that focuses on sustainable development.

In addition to that, the Ambassador told the news conference that his country had donated US 2 million dollar to WFP last week to feed primary school children in the Sidr-affected areas.

"We continue to look for other ways to assist (Bangladesh)," he said, adding that last week his country provided US100,000 dollar as an emergency response to severe crop damage by rat infestation in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).

Moriarty said his country would also help the climate change affected countries, including Bangladesh.

Replying to a question, USAID Mission Director Ms Rollins said Bangladesh was virtually self-sufficient in food but it suffers deficit because of bad weathers.

"The Government needs to manage food situation and we are confident that they are taking care of this issue," she said, expressing the concern that the poor people might not get access to food despite a bumper harvest of Boro paddy due to high prices.

"The concern is not over the food availability, but access to food is the problem due to high prices," she said and recommended the Government to take special measures to address the issue immediately.

Replying another question whether increased use of (food-grains for) bio-fuels in the US was threatened the food security globally, the USAID Mission Chief said, "Bio-fuel is only about small percentages."