2008 Press Releases
Press Release on Arrival of Humanitarina Flights to Georgia August 13, 2008 - In response to the armed conflict and humanitarian crisis in the region of South Ossetia and across Georgia, two U.S. C-17 aircraft will be arriving at 19:10 on August 13th and 9:15 on August 14th with needed medical supplies and emergency assistance. Special Envoy and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza and Minister of Health, Labor, and Social Protection Aleksandre Kvitashvili will give statements at the press conference at the airport.
These are the first in a series of U. S. Government emergency airlifts that come from the United States European Command (EUCOM) in response to the Georgian Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs (MoLHSA) and Ministry of Refugee and Accommodation requests for humanitarian assistance. The cargo of the first flight, arriving August 13, consists of cots, sleeping bags, blankets, medicines, and medical equipment such as syringes, needles, and surgical items, with a value of $862,388.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is coordinating the distribution of the humanitarian assistance through five partners: International Relief and Development (IRD), the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), Hellenicare, ACTS Georgia, and Counterpart International.