September 9, 2005

Charge d’Affaires Mark Taplin announced today that the Government of the United States will provide an additional $1.5 million to help Romania recover from the devastating floods that have plagued the country since April. The funds will be used to help flood victims repair their homes and prepare suitable shelter before the beginning of winter. In addition, the funds will help rehabilitate schools, clinics, and other community centers.

The major share of the additional $1.5 million contribution, which will be managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will be directed to reconstruction activities. USAID plans to work with such organizations as the Cooperative Housing Foundation International, Habitat for Humanity, the International Organization of Christian Charities, and the Romanian Orthodox Church in order to rebuild houses and provide temporary lodging before cold weather poses new dangers to those already displaced by the floods.

“On my recent visit to Bacau,” Mr. Taplin said today, “local officials expressed their concern for the hundreds of families who have lost their homes. We hope that our assistance will help them quickly repair and rebuild their homes before winter comes.”

This contribution follows USG contributions of more than $3.5 million for flood relief and recovery which have been made since the first serious flooding in April, bringing the total USG contribution to Romania flood relief to more than $5 million.

U.S. donations have provided food, personal hygiene items, portable heaters, water purification systems, and grants and loans for renovation projects within affected communities through USAID. The projects include:

• Grants and loans for repairing/rebuilding homes, schools, bridges, etc.
• Direct assistance to farmers and small businesses
• Public information campaigns to prevent flood-related health emergencies
• Other health, social, and economic projects

The U.S. Department of Defense has also donated goods and equipment for the renovation of houses, schools, and medical facilities.

In addition to the assistance provided through humanitarian and emergency response activities, the U.S. Government has also helped Romania with long-term projects to prevent and alleviate the negative impact of various water-related natural or accidental disasters. Since 2001, the U.S. has contributed more than $2 million to help Romania build early warning and integrated water management systems. Upon completion, these modern systems will permit real-time decision-making during floods, droughts, and accidental spills of hazardous materials, which will help reduce the number of flooding victims and the repeated financial losses associated with floods and accidental spills.

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9 Septembrie 2005

Insarcinatul cu Afaceri al Ambasadei S.U.A. la Bucuresti, Mark Taplin, a anuntat astazi ca Guvernul Statelor Unite va acorda un ajutor financiar suplimentar in valoare de 1,5 milioane USD pentru a ajuta Romania sa isi revina in urma inundatiilor devastatoare care au afectat tara incepand cu luna aprilie. Fondurile vor fi folosite pentru a ajuta victimele sa isi repare casele si sa isi pregateasca un adapost inainte de inceperea sezonului rece. De asemenea, fondurile vor contribui la reabilitarea scolilor, dispensarelor si a altor centre comunitare.

Cea mai mare parte a acestui ajutor suplimentar de 1,5 milioane USD, care va fi gestionat de Agentia Statelor Unite pentru Dezvoltare Internationala (USAID), va fi destinat activitatilor de reconstructie. USAID intentioneaza sa lucreze cu organizatii precum Cooperative Housing Foundation International (CHF), Habitat for Humanity, International Organization of Christian Charities (IOCC) si Biserica Ortodoxa Romana pentru a reconstrui casele si pentru a asigura un adapost victimelor inainte ca vremea sa ii puna in pericol.

“In cadrul ultimei mele vizite la Bacau, autoritatile locale si-au exprimat ingrijorarea pentru sutele de familii care si-au pierdut casele. Sper sa ii ajutam sa isi repare sau sa isi reconstruiasca repede casele, inainte de venirea iernii”, a declarat dl. Taplin.

Aceasta contributie se adauga celor peste 3,5 milioane USD pe care Guvernul Statelor Unite le-a acordat victimelor inundatiilor din Romania, din aprilie si pana in prezent, ridicand astfel valoarea totala a asistentei financiare americane la peste 5 milioane USD.

Donatiile din partea Statelor Unite au constat in alimente, articole de igiena personala, dispozitive portabile de incalzire, sisteme de purificare a apei, precum si imprumuturi rambursabile si nerambursabile destinate proiectelor de renovare in cadrul comunitatilor, proiecte implementate de catre USAID. Acestea includ:

• Imprumuturi rambursabile si nerambursabile pentru repararea/reconstructia caselor, scolilor, podurilor, etc.
• Asistenta directa pentru micii fermieri
• Campanii de informare publica pentru prevenirea riscurilor de imbolnavire din cauza inundatiilor
• Alte proiecte sociale, economice si de sanatate.

De asemenea, Departamentul de Aparare al Statelor Unite a donat bunuri si echipamente pentru renovarea caselor, scolilor si unitatilor medicale.

Pe langa asistenta acordata sub forma activitatilor umanitare, Guvernul Statelor Unite a sprijinit Romania in cadrul unor proiecte pe termen lung, pentru prevenirea si diminuarea impactului negativ al diferitelor dezastre naturale sau accidentale cauzate de revarsarea apelor. Din 2001, Statele Unite au contribuit cu peste 2 milioane USD pentru a ajuta Romania sa construiasca sisteme integrate de prevenire si de management al apelor. Odata cu incheierea acestor programe, se vor putea lua decizii rapide in timpul inundatiilor, secetei si al deversarii accidentale de materiale periculoase, ceea ce va contribui la reducerea numarului victimelor inundatiilor si a pierderilor financiare repetate asociate inundatiilor si deversarilor accidentale.

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