US Announces $533m Assistance For Nigeria And Others....

The U.S. has announced about 533 million dollars in humanitarian assistance for Nigeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan, as well as countries in the Lake Chad region. 

Of the newly announced funds, more than $128 million is for affected populations from Nigeria and countries in the Lake Chad region. About $184 million is for affected populations from South Sudan and more than $110 million for affected populations from Ethiopia. The humanitarian assistance includes more than $110 million for affected populations from Somalia.


Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson made the announcement in his speech at George Mason University in Virginia, saying “today I’m announcing $533 million in additional humanitarian assistance to fight famine and food insecurity and address other needs resulting from conflicts in Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Lake Chad Basin.


The alarming levels of hunger in these areas are largely man-made, as conflicts erupt and people flee their homes. Under these conditions, people cannot produce crops and often lose access altogether to food, education, and health care. Many lose everything. And regrettably, Mother Nature can still be cruel, such as in the Horn of Africa, where a prolonged drought is contributing to grave food insecurity”.


However, this assistance will not solve these ongoing conflicts, but only buy us time – time to pursue diplomatic solutions,” Tillerson stressed. According to him, ultimately it is up to the leaders in these countries, particularly in South Sudan, to stop the violence and put the welfare of their citizens at the forefront of their actions.
NAN