Press Conference Opening Statement

by Brig. Gen. Carlos Branco, ISAF Spokesperson

“Before we take your general questions, I’d like to make a few opening remarks concerning ISAF support to the Afghan people during these frigid winter months.  Humanitarian Assistance is of course, not one of our primary missions.  Day-to-day delivery of food, clothing and other essentials to needy villages is best handled by organizations such as UNAMA, the ICRC and NGOs that specialize in Humanitarian Assistance.  However, during these times of intense winter weather, we can complement the activities of those other organizations.  

Over the past several weeks alone, ISAF has positively touched the lives of tens of thousands of Afghans through distribution of relief supplies and through medical and veterinary care.   For example in Kandahar Province, an ISAF Medical Civil Affairs Patrol team working with Afghan National Security Forces and local elders distributed two tons of goods consisting of rice, beans, flour, cooking oil, salt and winter clothing.  More than 600 Afghan citizens also received medical and dental care. 

In Regional Command-West, the Chaghcharan PRT is preparing to deliver eight tons of flour, four tons of rice and more than one ton of cooking oil, in addition to 2000 sets of warming clothing for children and 1500 sets of warm clothes for adults that have already been distributed. Three generators and three gas heaters are scheduled to be delivered to the main hospital in Chaghcharan. 

In Regional Command-North, the Pol-e Khomri PRT in Baghlan Province has delivered 900 blankets, 450 kits of children’s winter clothes, 450 rubber boots, and 450 adult-sized winter coats to refugees at a camp near the PRT. 

In Khowst Province in RC-East, almost one thousand people in Sabari District, received more than one ton of rice, beans, sugar, salt and cooking oil.  More than 50 tarps, 200 sweaters, 100 boxes of tea and 25 children’s school kits were also distributed.   In Nangahar Province, more than 700 pounds of school supplies were delivered to more than 1500 high school students. 

From Regional Command-Capitol, 573 Afghan patients have been examined by ISAF medical personnel over the past month, including 118 local civilians who were treated by the Turkish medical team on 24 December. 

These are just a few examples of the assistance ISAF soldiers have been providing to the people of Afghanistan during this crucial time period.   We have also pre-positioned tons of relief supplies and have approved over $2.5 million for snow and ice removal throughout RC-East.  I’d like to make it clear that we have done these humanitarian missions in close coordination with local Afghan leadership and humanitarian relief agencies.   

Again, these Winterisation programs are aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Afghan population affected by the harsh weather conditions, and they are intended to be short term in impact and duration. It should be not be confused with other long term development related humanitarian aid activities to be carried out by other actors in the humanitarian community, whose core business is more oriented to these types of actions. 

I’d now like to turn it over to my colleague from the Ministry of Defense, MGen Azimi, for his opening comments.”