Food is the continents most fundamental need. But transport. basic agricultural inputs. shelter materials. and emergency medical supplies are also essential to the relief effort. Crowded refugee camps and feeding stations have become breeding grounds for malaria and measles. Desperately needed shipments of food and medicine have been held up for lack of fuel and vehicles. Shortages of seeds. tools. and fertilizer have hindered planting. thereby perpetuating the cycle of drought and famine. The United Nations Office for Emergency Operations in Africa recently estimated that more than $550 million is required to meet these urgent nonfood needs over the next 10 months. Clearly. most if not all of the $135 million which this relief bill makes available is going to be needed. Finally. the bill before us provides up to $37.5 million for emergency refugee assistance. The onslaught of drought and civil strife has added hundreds of thousands of people to Africas already enormous refugee population. Hundreds of thousands more will be uprooted if these conditions persist. Those African governments that willingly harbor refugees at a time when their own people face such severe deprivation are truly acting In a humanitarian spirit. They deserve our help. Mr.
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