July 25, 2005

Charge d’Affaires Mark Taplin announced today that the Government of the United States will provide over $2.5 million in assistance to victims of the recent floods in Romania. This amount is in addition to the $600,000 already provided after the April floods in western Romania and the early July floods in Olt County.

Our assistance to flood victims since April is now over $3 million and consists of $2.6 million in immediate emergency supplies including food, personal hygiene kits, portable stoves, and water purification, as well as rebuilding loans, and community-based rehabilitation projects through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Commodities and furniture are also being donated by the U.S. Department of Defense for humanitarian relief and rehabilitation of homes, schools and medical facilities.

“These latest floods have been especially tragic and the impact has been felt throughout the country. We began delivering assistance to flood victims in May and the U.S. Government will continue to do whatever it can to help people recover.,” said Taplin.

”The American people believe it is important to help people in need, whether it is as a result of a tsunami in South Asia, an earthquake in Iran, or of the devastating floods we have seen in Romania this year, “ Taplin stated. “It is an honor to step forward and help the people of Romania in their time of need. That’s what friends and partners do, and we have no better friends and partners than you.”

USAID Director Rodger Garner added, “We want to offer immediate support to prevent the further loss of life and assist people displaced by this tragedy. We will continue to provide support over the next months in the rehabilitation and clean-up effort to help get people and businesses back on their feet.”

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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25 Iulie 2005

Insarcinatul cu Afaceri Mark Taplin a anuntat astazi ca Guvernul Statelor Unite va acorda asistenta umanitara in valoare de peste 2,5 milioane USD victimelor recentelor inundatii din Romania. Aceasta suma sa adauga celor 600.000 USD acordati deja in urma inundatiilor din luna aprilie, din vestul Romaniei, si celor de la inceputul lunii iulie, din judetul Olt.

Asistenta umanitara acordata din luna aprilie si pana in prezent se ridica la 3 milioane USD, din care 2,6 milioane consta in hrana, articole de igiena personala, dispozitive portabile de incalzit, sisteme de purificare a apei, precum si imprumuturi nerambursabile si proiecte de reabilitare in cadrul comunitatilor, prin intermediul Agentiei Statelor Unite pentru Dezvoltare Internationala (USAID). De asemenea, Departamentul American de Aparare doneaza bunuri si piese de mobilier pentru reabilitarea caselor, scolilor si unitatilor medicale.

“Aceste ultime inundatii au avut bilanturi tragice, iar impactul lor a fost resimtit in intreaga tara. Am inceput sa acordam asistenta umanitara victimelor primelor inundatii, din luna mai, iar Guvernul Statelor Unite va continua sa faca tot ce se poate pentru a-i ajuta pe oameni sa-si reia viata,” a spus Taplin.

” Poporul american considera ca este important sa-i ajutam pe cei care au de suferit in urma dezastrelor naturale, fie ca este vorba de un tsunami in sudul Asiei, de un cutremur in Iran sau de inundatiile devastatoare pe care le-am vazut in acest an in Romania, “ a declarat Taplin. “Este o onoare pentru noi sa ajutam poporul roman in aceste vremuri in care are nevoie de ajutor. Asa fac prietenii si partenerii, iar noi nu avem prieteni si parteneri mai buni decat dumneavoastra.”

Rodger Garner, directorul USAID, a adaugat: “Dorim sa oferim sprijin imediat pentru a preveni pierderea de vieti omenesti si pentru a ajuta oamenii afectati de aceasta tragedie. Vom continua sa oferim sprijin in urmatoarele luni in eforturile de reabilitare pentru a ajuta oamenii sa-si reia viata si activitatea.”

Pe langa asistenta acordata sub forma activitatilor umanitare si a ajutoarelor de urgenta, Guvernul Statelor Unite a sprijinit Romania in cadrul proiectelor pe termen lung pentru prevenirea si diminuarea impactului negativ al diferitelor dezastre naturale sau accidentale cauzate de ape. Din 2001, Statele Unite au contribuit cu peste 2 milioane USD pentru a ajuta Romania sa-si construiasca sisteme integrate de prevenire si gestionare a apelor. Odata terminate, aceste sisteme moderne vor permite luarea de decizii in timp real in timpul inundatiilor, secetei si devarsarii accidentale de materiale periculoase, ceea ce va reduce numarul victimelor inundatiilor si pierderile financiare repetate asociate inundatiilor si devarsarilor accidentale.

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