The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has received new contribution of US$121 million from USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance to support ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh.
This latest contribution from the US includes both in-kind and financial support aimed at addressing the urgent needs of more than one million Rohingyas, along with the host communities, a press release said on Thursday.
The assistance package is intended to provide lifesaving food and nutrition aid while also supporting resilience-building and disaster risk reduction measures within the refugee camps.
“The United States continues to lead the way in funding this crucial humanitarian response for the Rohingya. Their (Rohingyas) needs, as well as those of their generous host communities, must remain a priority for the international community,” said Reed Aeschliman, USAID Mission Director in Bangladesh.
The funds will be channelled into various critical areas, including food and nutritional support, particularly for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women in host communities.
WFP will focus on preventing and treating malnutrition, which remains a pressing issue in the camps.
Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh, expressed gratitude for the support.
“We hope other humanitarian and development partners will follow this example. Only through collective efforts can we meet the basic needs of Rohingya families until they can safely return to Myanmar,” he said.
In addition to food security, the funding will help WFP meet emergency food needs during sudden crises, such as cyclones, floods, landslides, and fires.
Immediate assistance, such as hot meals and fortified biscuits, will be made available to Rohingya families affected by these disasters.
Despite these efforts, WFP urgently requires an additional US$80 million in funding to sustain the full ration and continue operations into next year, said the release.
