Australia Provides Relief to Flood Victims

24 September 2007 - The Australian Government is contributing 500,000 Australian dollars ($US 430,000) to people affected by the recent floods in the northern regions of Ghana.

This is part of a package of assistance to flood victims across Africa announced in Canberra today by Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr Greg Hunt.

“Australians have been extremely concerned by the loss of life and devastation caused by flooding which has spread across west, central and east Africa,” Mr Hunt said.

“The worst floods in decades have displaced well over a million people in 17 countries, including Ghana, Uganda, and Ethiopia Australia's contribution to relief efforts totaling $A1.5 million will be provided through the World Food Programme (WFP) and Australian aid organizations working in Africa. “Our assistance, will provide food aid, essential non-food items such as shelter and blankets, and health and hygiene measures to limit the prospect of disease outbreaks which often follow flooding,” Mr Hunt said.

The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr. Jon Richardson, said $A500, 000 will be provided through the World Food Programme (WFP) for food supplies to affected areas in the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions of Ghana “Assessment missions in the north have underlined that there is a critical need for emergency assistance to those displaced by the flood or whose crops have been destroyed”, Mr Richardson said. “There will also be an ongoing need to support people whose capacity to earn a living or feed themselves has been severely affected.”

Humanitarian assistance is an important component of the Australian development assistance program in Africa. In 2006-07 the Australian Government provided more than $30 million in humanitarian assistance to address human suffering caused by conflict and natural disasters in Africa.