US announces $4 million additional aid to Zimbabwe

United States Ambassador Bruce Wharton has announced an additional $4 million in humanitarian food assistance to Zimbabwe bringing the total aid to $29 million towards 2,2 million  people in need of food aid in the country.

Wharton who toured World Food Programme funded projects in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North on Tuesday said the US supported food security, productivity, income and education which are the real solutions to hunger.

"Today, we will announce an additional $4 million in humanitarian food assistance for this year, bringing US total to $29 million," Wharton said.

"In time of humanitarian need, for example, current situation for 2.2 million people in Zimbabwe, US provide needed assistance. Food security – agricultural productivity, income, and education are the only real solutions to hunger and the US supports all of those."

Wharton also met with business leaders in Bulawayo to get their perspectives on how the US can support growth in the country.

The Ambassador said last year, the US  helped 450,000 pregnant women in Zimbabwe get HIV tests, and supported testing and counselling for more than 1 million Zimbabweans.

He expressed pleasure in that Zimbabwe had adopted Option B+ HIV intervention for positive pregnant women saying the move would many children.

Wharton said his country aims to provide anti-retroviral therapy to 160,000 in Zimbabwe this year up from 140 000 in 2013.