U.S. satisfied with Ethiopia's efforts to mitigate food shortage

The United States on Friday expressed its satisfaction with the efforts underway to mitigate shortage of food, which occurred in some parts of Ethiopia.

During talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa, Michael E. Hess, assistant administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), said he visited those areas in Ethiopia affected by shortage of food.

Hess said the U.S. government is striving to mitigate the food problem, adding that his country has extended various non-food items to the affected people.

He said USAID has been supporting Ethiopia's safety net program aimed at ensuring food security, which he said, has enabled to achieve a promising result.

Hess said USAID would provide the necessary support toward strengthening of the safety net program.

For his part, Meles expressed appreciation for the support being provided by the USAID.

He also expressed his belief that the assistance being given by the USAID would further be consolidated in the years ahead.

Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest and most indebted countries, which makes it particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as drought.

Because of frequent periods of drought, Ethiopia is chronically unable to feed its population and has to rely on massive foreign aid.

Source: Xinhua