US provides additional $87m aid for Rohingyas, host communities

The US has announced an additional USD87 million in humanitarian assistance to support the Rohingyas and host communities in Cox's Bazar.

With this new funding, USAID will work with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to provide critically needed food and nutrition assistance as well as infrastructure maintenance, disaster risk reduction, and self-reliance and livelihoods support, according to a statement of the US embassy in Dhaka today.

This additional funding, together with contributions from other donors, will also enable WFP to raise food rations for the nearly one million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

The food and nutrition assistance include electronic vouchers for staple and fresh foods at designated distribution sites as well as support to feeding programmes for malnourished children six months to five years of age and pregnant and lactating women.

In addition, WFP will work with the community to maintain and improve public infrastructure within the camps.

The US has so far provided nearly $2.4 billion in assistance since the Rohingya crisis began in August 2017. Of it, nearly $1.9 billion was given to assist Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh.