QURGHON TEPPA, November 13, 2008, Asia-Plus -- On Wednesday November 12, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, Ambassador George A. Krol, and the U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan, Ms. Tracey Ann Jacobson, visited the Khatlon province.

They, in particular visited the bridge across the Panj River in Nizhny Panj and the village of Navkor in the Vakhsh district.    

Ambassador Jacobson noted that the purpose of the visit for them was to attend the training on the program for mitigating effects of food crisis in the upcoming winter and keeping products, as swell as participate in distribution of money and seeds to the population.  

These events were held in the framework of the USAID-funded program of the Save the Children organization.  

Distribution of money and seeds is part of a special package of aid in an amount of US$6 million provided by the United States for Tajik families for the upcoming winter, Ms. Jacobson said.

According to her, local authorities also participated in distribution of aid; more than 2,000 families: will receive US$150 each and more than 3,400 families will receive 50 kilograms of wheat seeds each.    

Ambassador Jacobson noted that since the beginning of this year, the Government of United States has provided some US$1 billion worth of aid to Tajikistan.  She also noted that the U.S. government also provided assistance to 20 Associations of Water Users with improving land reclamation systems, cleaning drainage systems and tackling water supply problems.  

Mr. Krol and Ms. Jacobson took direct part in distribution of money and seeds to the population in the Jomi district.