11:15 A.M. EST
MODERATOR: (In progress.) And he's here for -- to talk about USAID's effort in Greece in the wake of the terrible fires that you've had there. We are on a bit of a tight schedule this morning. He'll have some remarks and then he'll take your questions and we also have New York participating. There are a couple journalists there and we'll give them a chance to ask questions as well.
MR. LUU: Well, thank you. I thought what I'd do before I actually discuss the details of our response today with regard to the wildfires in Greece is give you a brief overview as to how the U.S. Government actually goes about carrying out humanitarian assistance in response to international disasters.
First and foremost, I want to note that our humanitarian assistance is provided in support of the relief efforts of the national government. We work very closely with the local authorities to ensure that our assistance meets the most pressing and urgent needs that we find at the field level.
The trigger that opens up the door for U.S. humanitarian assistance is an official declaration by the U.S. ambassador in the impacted country, noting that the event or the crisis is of such a magnitude that it's beyond the scope of the national government to fully respond adequately. Another requirement that we have is that the assistance that we offer to the impacted country is accepted by that local authority and national government.
And finally, our humanitarian assistance is needs-based; that is, that it is driven by field assessments done by disaster managers, again in consultations with local authorities and the beneficiaries. And as noted earlier, USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, or OFDA, is the lead office within the U.S. Government that is responsible for providing humanitarian assistance in response to international disasters. And last year, we responded to 74 disasters in 55 countries, impacting more than 155 million people. And this year, it looks like we're on track for a comparable response.
Getting on with the forest fires in Greece, and I'll note the map here -- and I think that we do have some handouts as well that tracks the progress of our technical assistance team that's currently on the ground and I'll get into the details on that. But again, I'll note that -- some specific points of reference here, that on August 25th, the Government of Greece declared a nationwide state of emergency. And on August 27th, our U.S. Embassy issued a disaster declaration. And in response to that, USAID provided immediately $100,000 in terms of cash assistance to the Hellenic Red Cross to provide emergency assistance.
To date, USAID has provided approximately 1.3 million in response to the forest fires in Greece. An additional donation of emergency relief supplies including blankets, sleeping bags, mattresses, tents, family hygiene kits are being procured and will be arriving in ships to Athens.
With regard to the 1.3, I'll try to break that out quickly for you. As noted earlier, of that 1.3, $100,000 immediately in cash went to Hellenic Red Cross. The $1.2 million represents a wildfire assistance package that has two components: It has a technical component and it has a material assistance component.
With regard to the technical component, we deployed a six-person technical assistance team which arrived in Greece on September 1st representing the following disciplines: fire management, fire investigation, emergency management systems, burn area emergency rehabilitation, and ecosystem and watershed restoration. With regard to the material support, we are providing 3,000 complete Nomex fire suits for the national fire brigade.
The technical team is comprised of USAID and U.S. Forest Service experts who are, as I said, are currently carrying out assessments in consultation with disaster managers in Greece, including the Government of Greece, and the Hellenic Red Cross to collect relevant information on the roles and responsibilities, the existing coordination mechanisms in place, and other aspects of emergency management.
I'll note here on the map that they arrived on September 1st. On Monday, the team traveled with the national fire brigade to the island of Evia, which is north and east of Athens and from there, they spent a day there and on Tuesday they went back to Athens for further consultations with their counterparts within the fire brigade, with the Hellenic Red Cross, and Greek forest service as well as the General Secretary for Civil Protection.
On Wednesday and Thursday, they traveled from Athens out to Peloponnese to view the current activities in terms of the fire response operations. And on Friday, they'll wrap up their work in Peloponnese and return back to Athens for out briefs with the fire brigade and the U.S. Embassy.
Now, as a product of the visit, we're hoping that the team will develop a detailed work plan that will have follow-on activities, that will address the country's specific needs for capacity building and medium- and long-term technical support. And these could include activities like workshops, seminars, formal training, curriculum development, study tours in the U.S., and design and conduct of simulation exercises.
So to date, I'll point out again that our assistance right now that we have committed is valued at $1.3 million. There's still going to be additional emergency supplies that will be sent to Athens, so that number will increase. And then really based upon the recommendation of the technical assessment team on the ground there, we'll be able to assess carefully in consultation with the Embassy, in consultation with the USAID mission, and with our counterparts within the Greek Government to look at what further assistance may be required on the part of the U.S. Government. And I'll stop there and be open to any questions you may have.
QUESTION: Lambros Papantoniou, correspondent, Eleftheros Typos Greek Daily. Is there any cooperation with the Greek American community in general and the Greek American members of the Congress, House and Senate?
MR. LUU: Could you repeat that?
QUESTION: Cooperation between federal agencies and the Greek American community in general, and specifically the Greek American Congress --
MR. LUU: Oh, here?
QUESTION: Yes, in the House and Senate.
MR. LUU: That is one component of the overall U.S. Government's response. We have actively been engaged with all sectors and all agencies within the federal government and we are reaching out to the private community, to the Greek population within the United States, to look for opportunities to be able to identify specific projects and activities that they may be able to offer assistance.
What we say right now, obviously, is that cash assistance is the best form of assistance at this point in time. On our website we will note how to be able to provide assistance and that could be channeled to the proper implementing partners, the Hellenic Red Cross, other nongovernmental organizations, to make sure that we are again meeting pressing needs. For the purposes in terms of what will take place after this assessment team is in place, again like I said, we'll have to wait to see what the recommendations are.
QUESTION: One follow-up. The U.S. investigation team is in Greece as -- started from Evia and then the Peloponnese. Once you finally have an assessment, what happens?
MR. LUU: Well, the team is out there. And prior to the deployment, there was full consultation and agreement with the Greek authorities as to the value added of our technical assistance team. We would not have sent them out if the proper authorities -- the Hellenic Red Cross and fire brigade -- did not feel that it is of value. So for me to actually discuss what's taking place right now, I think, would be premature. I think I would note that when the team visited the island of Evia, they noted that the great efforts done on the part of the national fire brigade and the resources that they've put forward, and they were able to save a lot of the structures.
That said, you know, I think that we all, whether it's the Government of Greece or the Government of the U.S. or any other government, can benefit from additional capacity building and technical support, and that's really what the U.S. Forest Service Team is doing out there. So they'll be able to work with their proper counterparts within the Greek Government to identify, like I said, these activities. But again, what they are -- I think again, until the full report is released, I think would be premature.
QUESTION: When do you expect the report to be released?
MR. LUU: The -- they'll wrap up their activities on Friday. And I think that they will be traveling back on September 8th. There'll probably be a draft follow-on within two weeks. Again, I think what we can do is if -- I can give you a name afterwards to contact and the moment that the report is released, we will make it available publicly.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR. LUU: Sure.
QUESTION: Yes. Dimitrios Apokis. Certainly, the Greek people are grateful for the help and the organization in the U.S. is providing for the relief of people there. And my question has to do with this. If, God forbid, this disaster of a government is elected next week, do you have any measures in place to be sure about the assistance you give to Greece will be -- go to the right place and not wasted here and there?
MR. LUU: As I note, our assistance is driven by the disaster managers at the field level. And also, the assistance is done in support of a national government. We're not going to impose an assistance package. But we also verify and check to make sure that it's appropriate. And that's why sending in the teams, sending in the fire equipment, these were the needs that were identified at the field level and they're appropriate. As to what you said, I mean, it's difficult. I mean, if another crisis were -- and events were to take place a week, a month from now, again, it would go through a similar process, similar consultations through our U.S. Embassy, through our USAID mission, with the national authorities. We would also send out a team to make sure that the assistance that we provide is going directly where it should and we have countermeasures in place. Our implementing partners are vetted. So this is a mechanism that is a -- it has stood up with all of the responses, you know, globally.
QUESTION: (Lambros Papantoniou) Mr. Luu, I would like to know, along with all the measures you are taking to help Greece from this disaster, if you can say anything about the restoration of the forests which have been destroyed in the Pelopponese area?
MR. LUU: That is -- this is obviously of great importance and urgency. At this point in time, I can only discuss what's happening with regard to what the Office of Foreign Disaster USAID's Foreign Disaster Assistance Office is doing on the ground right now. And you know, part of what the technical team is doing in terms of the ecosystem and watershed restoration of it is looking at minimizing soil erosion, looking at rehabilitating the watershed. Obviously these are the components that will have to be put into place as a lead up to the forest restoration projects.
So this point in time, our focus is on looking at what the assessment team is doing. Based upon that, there are other parts of the U.S. Government again with our development colleagues that are having this dialogue that's taking place. I can't comment on that. It's not something that is within our mandate. But that is something that the U.S. Government is looking at closely.
QUESTION: One more question. Since Mrs. Under Secretary -- Mrs. Fore went over to Greece and she was acting as administrator with USAID, do you have any readout about what she did?
MR. LUU: I know that Acting Administrator Fore is deeply committed to providing and ensuring that assistance is timely, is effective and does meet the most pressing needs. Again, at this point in time, I don't want to speak for her. I think we do believe that she has already had a press conference and she -- a couple weeks ago, and I'm sure that there will be follow-up responses made through her office. Again, I can only speak on what USAID is doing.
STAFF: Mr. Lambros, there's text on the website at USAID about --
QUESTION: I saw that.
STAFF: -- an interview that Under Secretary Fore had with Greek television when she was there.
QUESTION: Yes. I know.
MODERATOR: New York, do we have any questions?
MR. ALEXANDRIS: Kostis Alexandris from the Embassy of Greece. I have something to add.
MODERATOR: New York has no questions.
MR. ALEXANDRIS: Yes? Just for your information, I would like to let you know that yesterday the House of Representatives adopted a resolution expressing its condolences to the Greek Government and the Greek people, and encouraging that the Administration and other public agencies, et cetera, to keep providing assistance to -- I don't know if you needed the text of the resolution. I had it right --
MR. LUU: I'll take it. I'm sure it'll be of use.
QUESTION: Okay, thank you.
QUESTION: (Lambros Papantoniou) Do you cooperate with the Greek Orthodox Archdioceses which can reach every Greek-American across the country?
MR. LUU: Again, I can speak for USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. We have many implementing partners that we work with, and I believe that one of our implementing partners is IOCC. So there's outreach being made with those institutions and with those parties. And again, our focus right now is on the assessment team. There will be follow-on activities and I'm sure that we will be able to get back to you once the report is released.
QUESTION: And the last one?
MODERATOR: Last one.
QUESTION: For all of this activities, did you inform Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice what is going on in Greece?
MR. LUU: Pardon me?
QUESTION: Have you informed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice?
MR. LUU: Of course, the Secretary of State is informed of everything. Yes, she is briefed on our activities. We report up, and so we would not be doing what we're doing without the full approval, consent and support of the Secretary.
MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Thanks for coming.
MR. LUU: Thank you.
