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The United States responded immediately to the appeal of President Otunbayeva for assistance in the aftermath of the April 7 uprising.  Just days after Bakiev’s ouster, Assistant Secretary of State Blake led an interagency team to Bishkek to offer immediate U.S. diplomatic and financial support for the new government.  Following events in April the U.S. re-targeted a significant portion of its existing $53 million assistance budget for Kyrgyzstan to address new priorities; following the eruption of ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan in June the U.S. doubled its assistance, adding another $58 million.  Assistance funds are addressing various needs in Kyrgyzstan, including the humanitarian help for victims of violence, community level economic support, aid to address food shortages, support for democratic processes and institutions, and programs to begin the process of reconciliation.

 
The U.S. has worked closely with other concerned countries, such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the EU, and with international organizations, such as the UN, OSCE and the World Bank, to coordinate support for the country.  U.S. support spans the gambit of challenges facing the Kyrgyz people and reflects our desire to support efforts to restore stability, and establish inter-ethnic harmony, democracy, the rule of law, economic security and prosperity. 
 
Specific U.S. assistance projects include:
 
  • $21 million for immediate expenditure for community improvement and stabilization projects, including a broad range of community defined projects that may include construction of small scale infrastructure, assistance to improve government operations, employment opportunities, and skills training for disenfranchised populations in Kyrgyzstan.
  • $10 million to address food shortages through cash vouchers and local and regional procurement to meet urgent needs.
  • $5.1 million for projects to strengthen democratic processes and institutions, protect human rights, support civil society, and ensure governmental accountability.  Of this amount $2.9 million has been targeted to support the referendum and parliamentary election including assistance in administration, monitoring, voter education, media coverage, and civil society engagement.
  • $6.1 million in grants to NGO partners to support protection activities, water and sanitation projects, improved humanitarian communications, and other assistance for internally displaced persons.
  • $1 million to supplement supplies of fertilizers, fuel and other inputs this summer to help safeguard the fall harvest in the Kyrgyz Republic.
  • $6.2 million to the International Committee for the Red Cross/Red Crescent (ICRC) for shelter and resettlement assistance.
  • $6.5 million in response to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) humanitarian appeal for provision of shelter for those who lost their homes.
  • $1 million to the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for protection, shelter and resettlement assistance.
  • $500,000 to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) to support common objectives and priorities among humanitarian actors.
  • $732,000 in grants to NGOs to support economic recovery and market systems.
 
The U.S. Department of Defense, through the Manas Transit Center has made payments this year to the Kyrgyz Government of more than $100 million.  The Transit Center conducts its own humanitarian programs, which total $1.7 million this year, which is not included in the assistance totals above.

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