USAID grants USD 4 m emergency food aid

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the development agency of the US Government, has donated USD 4,200,000 (approximately Rs 462 million) of food aid to support the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Northern Sri Lanka. Consisting of wheat flour, lentils and vegetable oil, USAID’s second shipment of food aid this year will be distributed by the United Nations World Food Program and will meet the needs of up to 371,000 returnees.

This donation to support the Northern IDPs comes in addition to the flood relief assistance of USD 2.9 million (319 million Sri Lanka Rupees) given by the United States Government earlier this year which supported families in areas severely affected by the heavy rains such as Mannar, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa.

To date, the US has provided nearly USD 33 million (Rs 3.6 billion) in food aid to Sri Lankans during 2010 and the first months of 2011.