US announces nearly $1 bn in humanitarian aid for Syria, Sahel, South Sudan

The United States announced humanitarian assistance of nearly $1 billion in response to the crisis in Syria, South Sudan, and Africa’s Sahel region. At an event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun hosted a virtual dialogue about global humanitarian needs with the world’s top ten donors of humanitarian assistance and leaders of UN agencies.

Biegun made the announcement of more than $720 million to fund the international crisis response in Syria and Acting USAID Administrator John Barsa announced nearly $108 million for the humanitarian crisis in South Sudan. Barsa also announced nearly $152 million in humanitarian assistance to respond to the humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region countries of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Mali. 

Biegun said that the additional assistance for Syria would bring the total US aid to over $12 billion since the start of the Syria crisis. In June 2020, the US had announced more than $696 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian people at fourth Brussels Conference on “Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region”.

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'Leading donor'

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the United States continues to be a "leading donor" of humanitarian assistance in Syria and around the world. Pompeo stated that the announcement is part of ongoing US efforts to provide life-saving protection, food, shelter, education, and medical care to assist millions of Syrians.

“We must also remain committed to the delivery of cross-border humanitarian assistance, which is necessary to reach many of the most vulnerable populations,” he added.

The United States has repeatedly accused the Bashar Al-Assad regime of prioritising funding its  “destructive military campaign” and “arbitrary detention” of Syrian civilians, including women and children. In June, the US announced new sanctions on dozens of people including Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s wife and siblings under the Caesar Act.

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(Image: AP)