Status of Pakistan Civilian Assistance

Taken Question
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC

Question Taken at the January 18, 2012 Daily Press Briefing
January 20, 2012

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Question: Is civilian assistance still going to Pakistan since the November 26 incident?

Answer: The United States remains committed to a strong, mutually respectful relationship with Pakistan. We consider bilateral U.S. civilian assistance to be an important component of that relationship and believe it can help Pakistan become a more prosperous, stable, and democratic state, which serves the national interests of both the United States and Pakistan.

Civilian assistance to Pakistan continues and has not been interrupted since the tragic November 26 incident.

Since the passage of the Kerry-Lugar-Berman legislation in October 2009, the U.S. government has disbursed $2.2 billion in civilian assistance, including approximately $550 million in emergency humanitarian assistance. In FY 2011 specifically, we disbursed approximately $855 million (not including any emergency humanitarian assistance). Our non-humanitarian civilian assistance funds are spent in five priority sectors: energy, economic growth, stabilization of the border regions, education, and health. Notably, in 2011 the people of the United States supported the construction of 210 kilometers of road in FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, funded the world’s largest Fulbright exchange program, and sponsored initiatives promoting private sector growth and civil society development in Pakistan.

ENDS

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