|  | |  | Saturday, January 1, 2005 |
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![A Thai Monk walks past bulldozer clearing debris. [AP Photo]](/all/20050101092348im_/http://www.state.gov/cms_images/2004_12_30_tsunami_thailand_140.jpg) Tsunami Relief Assistance
Secretary Powell (Dec. 31): "...President Bush has decided and we announced from the Crawford White House a little while ago that the United States contribution would now go up to $350 million. .... So this tenfold increase is indicative of American generosity, but it also is indicative of the need. The need is great, and not just for immediate relief but for long-term reconstruction, rehabilitation, family support, economic support that's going to be needed for these countries to get back up on their feet." [full text]
Under Secretary Grossman (Dec. 29): "…we're trying to accomplish three things with [the Tsunami Relief Assistance Task Force]: First, to work with the partners that the President talked about today -- Australia, Japan and India -- to see if we can form a core group to provide coordination and assistance to the terrible tragedy… Second, to help to coordinate the interagency response here in Washington… And then, third, to see what more can be done to get the international community to help with these relief efforts." [full text; DSL/cable; dial-up; audio] [Remarks by President Bush]
For information about the welfare and whereabouts of American citizens, please call 1-888-407-4747. For information about how you can provide assistance to those in need, please call the Center for Disaster Information (CIDI) at 703-276-1914 (http://www.cidi.org/) or visit http://www.usaid.gov/.
 Foreign Policy Achievements
Secretary Powell (Dec. 21): "I'm proud to have been part of an Administration that did get rid of two very bad regimes and [pulled] the world together in the war on terror; proud of what we've done with development assistance, HIV/AIDS, denuclearizing Libya, expansion of NATO, expansion of the European Union; the trade agreements we've entered into; what we did to stop a war in India-Pakistan...." [full text]
 Child Survival Program in Kyrgyzstan
A man dons a "sympathy belly" as part of the USAID-funded Project Hope Child Survival Program in Jalalabad Oblast, Kyrgyzstan. In Jalalabad, Imams often use their Friday services to communicate health messages and the importance of keeping family members healthy to men who attend mosques; their enthusiastic involvement has contributed to an increase of from 13% to 80% of those in the communities who understand and practice improved child survival techniques.
| | |  | |  Designations of Foreign Terrorist Organizations and additions of groups to the Terrorist Exclusion List, part of ongoing U.S. efforts against terrorism, enhance our ability to isolate and take appropriate action against terrorist organizations.
Read about women's participation in elections in Afghanistan and Iraq, a women's radio station in Cambodia, and leadership training for women in Cote d'Ivoire. [pdf]
The United States is gravely concerned by the intensified violence that has been taking place in Darfur in recent days. [full text]
| | The strategic landscape of U.S.-Japan relations was recently discussed by Assistant Secretary Bloomfield.
The FY 2004 Performance and Accountability Report provides performance results and audited financial statements that enable the public, Congress, the President, and others to assess the performance of the Department in achieving its mission and stewardship of its resources.
Visit our student website to find an interesting country and learn about it, read kids' stories about what life is really like in other parts of the world, test your geographical knowledge, and much, much more.
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