BP Amoco and the United States Agency for International Development are pleased to announce today a joint effort to provide $1.1 million in support of international humanitarian relief efforts to combat the devastating impact of ongoing flooding in Mozambique. This responds to the appeal U.S. Ambassador Brian Dean Curran made following the U.S. Embassy´s first flood relief donation on February 8, that the private sector join American government efforts to overcome this national tragedy.

Under the USAID Public-Private Sector Initiative, BP Amoco has donated fuel to allow the USAID-financed NGO 'Air Serv International' to carry out helicopter and airplane rescue, relief and assessment operations. Air Serv International has a long record of support for relief and development programs in Mozambique, as well as other countries.

BP Amoco Mozambique Country Leader Fernando Oliveira said, "We are very pleased to be working with USAID on this important effort to help the people of Mozambique in this time of great need. We believe it is important for all of us who care about Mozambique, including the private sector, to lend their assistance."

The USAID Director in Mozambique, Cynthia Rozell added, "It is important to focus resources towards those organizations best able to respond to this crisis, and we believe that Air Serv is well positioned to help save lives . USAID appreciates the opportunity to work with BP Amoco as part of a Public-Private Sector Initiative. We hope that this sets a precedent for this type of cooperation in Mozambique. "

Susan MacGregor of Air Serv also said that "we are grateful for the combined support of BP Amoco and USAID. With their help, we are aiming to make a significant contribution to ongoing international humanitarian relief efforts in this devastated country and hope to save thousands of lives."

BP Amoco is the leading distributor of petroleum products in Mozambique, with a presence in all provinces of the country. The company celebrated 70 years of continuous operations in Mozambique last year.

This is the second project BP Amoco has undertaken with USAID as part of the Public-Private Sector Initiative; in December 1999 the two parties carried out a $7 million humanitarian relief program to provide more than 15.000 metric tons of food aid to innocent civilians impacted by ongoing warfare in central Angola.

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