The United States on Tuesday announced an additional $26 million in humanitarian aid for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and other neighboring regions.
About a million refugees from this Burmese Muslim minority live in appalling conditions in camps in Bangladesh.
Many of them fled to neighboring Bangladesh to escape a Burmese army-led crackdown in 2017.
This military campaign led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
“This new funding allows our humanitarian partners to continue providing vital assistance to affected communities on both sides of the Burma-Bangladeshi border,” said State Department spokesperson Ned Price.
He said the figure announced on Tuesday brings the total cost of aid the United States has provided to the Rohingya since August 2017 to $2.1 billion.
international appeal
The United Nations launched an $876 million appeal on Tuesday to address the humanitarian needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, after donations for Myanmar’s displaced minority dropped sharply.
Due to a sharp drop in donor pledges last year, only $553 million has been provided to meet the needs of these refugees, far less than what NGOs need. Lack of funds led to reduced food rations for refugees.
And on Tuesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees urged international donors to increase their commitments at the risk of exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.
“Each morning, nearly a million Rohingya women, men and children wake up in a freezing fog of uncertainty about their future,” said Johannes van der Klaue, UNHCR’s representative in Bangladesh.
“With fewer donations, refugees are likely to face greater challenges in their daily lives,” he added.
The lack of financial resources forced the World Food Program to reduce this month the food rations it provides to refugees in camps where malnutrition is widespread.
Van der Klaue warned that this financial shortfall could worsen malnutrition and increase school dropouts and child marriage.
About a million refugees from this Burmese Muslim minority live in appalling conditions in camps in Bangladesh.
Many of them fled to neighboring Bangladesh to escape a Burmese army-led crackdown in 2017.
This military campaign led to one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
Source: EuroNews
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