Staff Reporter :
The United States, through USAID and the State Department, has announced an additional $30.5 million in aid to support Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and the surrounding region. As Bangladesh hosts nearly one million refugees from Myanmar, primarily from the Rohingya ethnic minority, this funding is essential for addressing the urgent needs of those living in densely populated refugee camps, according to a State Department announcement on Thursday.
The new funding will bolster efforts by U.S. government partners, including UNHCR, IFRC, IOM, and UNICEF, to provide essential services such as life-saving protection, healthcare, water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and nutrition assistance. A significant portion of the aid will focus on malnutrition treatment for children through Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF), which are specifically designed for the nutritional rehabilitation of children aged six months to five years who suffer from severe acute malnutrition and wasting.
Additionally, USAID is collaborating with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to utilize funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation. These funds will be used to purchase, transport, and distribute surplus U.S. agricultural commodities, providing critical emergency food aid to those in need in Bangladesh.
Since August 2017, the U.S. government has contributed nearly $2.4 billion to the Rohingya response, including almost $2 billion in Bangladesh alone.
The U.S. continues its commitment to supporting crisis-affected communities in Burma, Bangladesh, and the broader region, but emphasizes that much more support is needed. The U.S. is calling on other donors to increase their assistance to meet the needs of vulnerable populations in both countries.