Shooting of USAID Officer in Darfur

Shooting of USAID Officer in Darfur

Secretary Condoleezza Rice Washington, DC March 22, 2005

I was deeply saddened today to learn that a member of the United States Agency for International Development’s Disaster Assistance Response Team was shot and wounded early this morning in Darfur. The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the Department of State and USAID are with her and her family as she continues to receive treatment.

This is the first time in the history of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance program that one of our officials has been shot. The injured USAID official was traveling in a clearly marked humanitarian vehicle in a four-vehicle convoy between Nyala and Kass in West Darfur when she was shot in an apparent ambush by unknown persons. The convoy was traveling on a road that was considered open by the Office of the U.N. Security Coordinator. The wounded individual has received medical treatment, and the U.S. mission in Khartoum is coordinating with the African Union, the U.N., and other parties to arrange a medical evacuation as soon as possible.

We have contacted the Government of Sudan and have asked the African Union to launch an immediate investigation into this very serious incident. We strongly condemn the violence on all sides of the conflict. The United States, along with its partners in the African Union and the international community will continue our efforts to bring this conflict to an end.

2005/338 Released on March 22, 2005