"I know that honesty and urgency are shared by all parties here." And SenatorCory Booker(D-N.J.), A member of both the Senate Agricultural Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee. "But at this point, literally people are dying every day." It has issued a direct warning to the authorities. According to two Senate aides, USAID's Sara Charles, who oversees international humanitarian assistance, answered a question from frustrated Hill staff during a Thursday afternoon briefing, but back-to-back assistance. I didn't explain any delays other than quoting the issues in. Charles also announced staff when USAID announced plans to save more than half of the $ 4.35 billion disaster fund for the next fiscal year beginning in October, which expects a need for ongoing food aid. I was surprised. She said USAID plans to allocate about half of the money by the end of September.
"It's an interesting decision for an emergency package," said one of the staff.
SenatorChris Coons(D-Del.), A member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he helped billions of global food aid through Congress. Said on Tuesday that he had discussed this issue with Power.
"She knows that many of us have expressed her concerns about it, and I think she's doing everything she can," Koons said in an interview. Said.
The United States has announced other funding plans to deploy for global food aid, including $ 280 million worth of US food products to seven countries in Africa and the Middle East. .. However, the process is very time consuming, both bureaucratically and logistically, and shipments are not expected to arrive until fall.
A USAID spokesperson did not specifically comment on the delay, but millions of food aid funds from the first Ukrainian aid package parliament passed in March. He said he had thrown a dollar. Disaster relief funds. He said that USAID's goal is to be the first to "expand support quickly" in the Horn of Africa and the most vulnerable areas, "to continue to steadily inject resources into emergency food security programs until the fall. We will strive to secure available funds. " Winter as the worst effects of the crisis are felt worldwide.
SenatorLindsey Graham(R-S.C.) Has many years of US global support for countries vulnerable to national security issues. A supporter and meeting with government officials this week about delays in shipping aid from the Ukrainian package. Graham warns Republican Senators to add food aid to the bill, despite the high costs of former South Carolina Governor David Beasley, chief of the World Food Program. I helped.
And many senators have the impression that most of the disaster funding will be swiftly sent to the United Nations branch of the World Food Program to provide emergency food aid to vulnerable people around the world. It says that it was. It usually relies on grain exports from Ukraine. Thanks to Russia's blockade, most of its grain is now trapped in the country, which contributes to soaring food prices.
Before Russia invaded, Ukraine supplied more than 40% of Libya and Tunisia's wheat supply, and about a quarter of Egypt's supply. US officials say all three countries are preparing for a surge in food costs and shortages in the coming months to create a severe hunger crisis, political instability and a stream of mass immigrants.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told reporters Thursday that Russia has moved to Ukraine, especially vulnerable African countries, as the war contributes to "food shortages, rising prices and the risk of hunger." He said he was using food as a weapon.
WFP officials said the organization to USAID in late May for $ 2.86 billion. He advised that he could distribute. Ukrainian aid package by October through existing crisis response programs if funding is secured quickly.
There was preliminary discussion, but he said, "WFP has not received any additional funding yet." Not yet determined: which country should receive the funds and the amount of aid it plans to send.
USAID seems enthusiastic: A second WFP official said USAID officials had recently accused them of trying to arouse the involvement of lawmakers, but not. Said it wasn't. "They basically told us to stop dogs," said a second WFP official, adding that WFP wouldn't help make USAID look bad. "This is the biggest money tranche for anyone who knows when to succeed."
"Within two years, the town may have another sheriff." Mentioned the possibility of Republicans winning in the White House or Congress. "If too many people are still sitting there, it looks like the wolf cried."
