[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 4 (Monday, January 28, 2002)]
[Page 121]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on Disaster Assistance for Victims of the Eruption of Mount 
Nyiragongo

January 25, 2002

    On January 17, the people of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the 
Congo suffered from an enormous natural disaster. Many homes, shops, 
roads, and schools were buried, and many lives were lost or disrupted by 
the flow of molten lava from Mount Nyiragongo. The Congolese people have 
shown enormous spirit and resilience, already returning to the land 
where their homes once stood to recover and rebuild.
    I commend President Kabila of Congo and President Kagame of Rwanda 
for working together to address the humanitarian needs of the people of 
Goma who have been hurt by this volcanic eruption. The United States 
will help the victims of this disaster, and we have already allocated up 
to $3 million for relief efforts. I have sent a team of experts from the 
U.S. Agency for International Development to the region to assess how 
this aid can be directed most effectively. At the same time, I have 
ordered the immediate dispatch of two relief flights carrying blankets, 
shelter material, and water storage equipment to support the most urgent 
needs of the Congolese people. The United States will continue to work 
closely with the international community to help those affected by this 
disaster to rebuild their town and their lives.