USAID/OFDA GRANTS USD 50 THOUSAND FOR PURCHASING RELIEF GOODS

Ulaanbaatar, /MONTSAME/ The U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) contributed $50,000 to the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) for the purchase of emergency relief supplies to help meet the immediate needs of populations affected by extreme local winter conditions, known as zud, in Mongolia.
Since late 2009, ongoing heavy snowfall, snowstorms, and freezing temperatures have severely affected 19 out of 21 provinces of Mongolia.
As of February 13, the Government of Mongolia reported that more than 13,000 people live in areas were inaccessible by roads blocked by accumulated snow and ice. In addition, more than 212,000 herders had limited access to food, fuel, and health services. Snowstorms have buried rangelands, limiting livestock's access to food sources. Some 2 million heads of livestock perished to date. More livestock deaths are expected, as these severe winter conditions will likely to continue throughout March and April. On February 12, the Goverment declared a state of emergency in 11 of the affected provinces and deployed teams to assess populations' needs.
In February 9-13, the U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia Jonathan S.Addleton along with USAID Representative Chuck Howell traveled to Arkhangai and Zavkhan, the hardest-hit provinces in western Mongolia. They met with local government representatives, NGOs working on the ground, and herder families. Based on the field assessment, the U.S. Ambassador declared a disaster and requested USAID/OFDA assistance.
B.Khuder
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