US releases $150m to Nigeria, other African countries, to combat hunger

To address the rising issue of hunger in African countries, the United States has released nearly $150 million in aid to several nations on the continent.

Among the countries set to receive assistance is Nigeria, which has seen a sharp increase in food insecurity over the past year.

Announcing the aid package, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, said $114 million would go intro life-saving humanitarian assistance for populations in West and Central Africa and the Sahel.

While nearly $36 million through the State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) supports refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons, stateless persons, and people affected by conflict.

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“Through this funding, USAID partners will continue to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance – including food, water, shelter, emergency healthcare, sanitation and hygiene, and critical nutrition services – to the most vulnerable people across the Sahel and West and Central Africa,” he said.

This newly announced assistance is critical when rapid climate changes – including drought and seasonal flooding – result in widespread humanitarian need.

The United Nations estimates that up to 45 million people could face food shortages during the upcoming lean season in West Africa, between planting and harvest from May to August when food typically runs out across agricultural communities.

“The United States remains committed to helping the people of West and Central Africa during this time of need, with the U.S. government contributing more than $233 million in humanitarian assistance to date in fiscal year 2023,” USAID statement added.

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