By IANS,
Washington : The US has announced an additional $165 million in aid to Pakistan for humanitarian relief, early recovery and long-term reconstruction efforts to support the internally displaced by the military conflict with the Taliban.
US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard C. Holbrooke announced the aid in Islamabad Wednesday.
According to a fact sheet released here by the State Department, the $165 million will be channelled both to meet the ongoing needs of displaced persons, located in camps and in host communities, and also to address the needs of families as they return to rebuild their homes and communities in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan.
Of this, $45 million will be provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to support locally driven rehabilitation of basic infrastructure, including: water systems; health facilities; schools; roads; and bridges – maximising the use of local labour and resources.
Another $30 million will be contributed by USAID for small-scale infrastructure and community development grants for displaced families in NWFP. $25 million will be provided by USAID to give families resources needed to rebuild their homes and livelihood.
Much of this money was included in the Obama Administration’s supplemental appropriation for Pakistan last month, and the new disbursements will enable UNHCR, ICRC, IOM and other courageous relief organizations to more effectively and expeditiously serve the Pakistani people, the department said.
Since May 2009, the Obama Administration has committed more than $320 million to the Pakistani people to help them respond to this crisis.