WASHINGTON, D.C. – Shipments of U.S. government in-kind emergency food assistance, part of the U.S. government humanitarian response to the crisis in Libya, have arrived in the region. These food commodities support humanitarian food distributions reaching up to 600,000 people in Libya.

Since the beginning of the crisis in Libya, the U.S. Government has robustly supported international and non-governmental organizations meeting humanitarian needs in Libya and those who have fled across its borders, and is providing $47 million in humanitarian assistance.

As part of the response, the USAID Office of Food for Peace has contributed $10 million to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), helping the WFP respond to immediate food requirements of those who have fled Libya to Tunisia and Egypt, to pre-position food to assist those who are most vulnerable to a deterioration of humanitarian conditions within Libya, and to help alleviate the economic impact of the crisis on the most vulnerable communities in Tunisia and Egypt. The U.S. contribution is a combination of cash support to WFP for local procurement, and provision of in-kind food commodities.

The first shipment of U.S. in-kind emergency food commodities have arrived in Alexandria, Egypt for onward transport to Libya. The shipment, including 560 metric tons of vegetable oil and 270 metric tons of pinto beans, will support WFP distributions targeting 600,000 beneficiaries in Libya. Future shipments of wheat flour, vegetable oil and pinto beans are expected to arrive in the region in the next month.

The USG is providing $47 million to meet humanitarian needs and to evacuate and assist those fleeing the violence in Libya. This includes:

• $13 million to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support the evacuation of third country nationals who have fled Libya
• $10 million to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) for emergency food operations
• $7 million to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to support relief programs in Tunisia and Egypt
• $7 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to meet humanitarian needs in Libya and the region
• The U.S. is also programming $10 million to support international organizations and NGOs responding to humanitarian needs in Libya.

For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs, please visit: http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/working-crises-and-conflict.

For more information about USAID, please visit www.usaid.gov.