Policy Updates

On June 28, 2024, based on a new report from the IPC, USAID Administrator Samantha Power raised concerns about growing acute food security reported in April and May 2024 in Sudan, along with dire projections for June 2024 through February 2025.

Power noted that the food insecurity crisis is historically severe, with more than half of Sudan's population facing severe levels of hunger, which are the highest levels ever measured.

Power pointed to the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces and the inability to get humanitarian assistance to the region. Although the US and other partners are continuing to support the people of Sudan with provisions of food, malnutrition treatment, health care, and other assistance, especially to vulnerable populations, more is needed to assist the cross border assistance relief effort.

Power also called upon the warring factions to negotiate an immediate ceasefire.

On June 20, 2024, the EIB approved EUR12.8 billion (US$13.7 billion) in financing to improve sustainable transport, increase the use of renewable energy, build new student housing, improve earthquake and flood protection, and help business expansion.

EUR2.9 billion (US$3.1 billion) will be allocated for urban development, education, health, and water projects. EUR2.1 billion (US$2.2 billion) is slated to support corporate innovation, with a focus on female entrepreneurs in Africa and the Caribbean, as well as business financing in Ukraine.

EIB President Nadia Calviño highlighted that support will go to global and regional flagship projects and that the investments will improve quality of life and reflect the EIB's commitment to strengthen European resilience, productivity growth, and innovation.

On June 15, 2024, during a peace summit in Ukraine with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US Vice President Kamala Harris announced a new US$1.5 billion package of support to the people of Ukraine through energy, humanitarian assistance, and civil society.

The assistance will come through both USAID and the State Department and includes US$500 million in new assistance for the energy sector. US$324 million in previously announced energy funding will be used to address emergency assistance aimed to repair damaged infrastructure, as well as to expand and protect other infrastructure.

US$379 million in humanitarian assistance will provide food, health, shelter, and WASH services to the people of Ukraine. The final part of the package will assist with civilian security assistance to help law enforcement and border guards operate on the front lines.

On June 14, 2024, USAID and the US State Department announced an additional US$315 million for emergency assistance to the people of Sudan in response to the ongoing regional crisis.

The war, having lasted for over a year, has caused extreme hunger for nearly 5 million people. Overall, about 25 million people in Sudan are in need of immediate assistance, which has internally displaced about 10 million people and has cause food insecurity in Sudan's border countries. The new funding is slated to help address acute malnutrition and hunger-related deaths.

The assistance will provide food, nutrition services, WASH services, and health care, especially focused on children. Other lifesaving assistance will be provided to refugees both in Sudan and in neighboring countries.

On June 11, 2024, the EIB announced that it will provide Ukraine with a EUR100 million (US$107 million) loan to rebuild municipal infrastructure damaged by the war against Russia.

These funds, agreed at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, will be used to rebuild schools, kindergartens, hospitals, social housing and local transport, in addition to ensuring essential services such as clean water and sanitation.

Calls for project proposals are set to be issued, inviting communities to submit applications for the reconstruction of health facilities, housing, education, water sector and shelters. The projects will prioritize liberated territories, areas close to conflict zones, and regions with large numbers of internally displaced persons.

On May 28, 2024, USAID announced an additional US$176 million to communities in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin areas of West Africa in response to increased humanitarian needs brought about by declining security conditions.

The emergency relief will include food, nutrition, safe water, health care, and assistance to the most vulnerable populations. The assistance will be implemented through the UNFP, UNICEF, and OCHA, and will go to people in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Mauritania, and Nigeria.

The US is the largest donor to the region. Representatives noted the serious humanitarian crises and called on other donors to help meet the funding shortfall.

On May 27, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussed announced more than CAD55 million (US$40 million) to address urgent civilian needs in Syria amid the ongoing conflict.

The new funding will address urgent civilian needs in Syria and the region, including providing food, WASH services, protection services including the prevention and response to GBV, and health services including the provision of access to SRH healthcare. Development assistance funding will also be allocated through existing projects in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon that benefit Syrian refugees and strengthen these countries’ ability to support displaced Syrians.

More than 13 years into the Syrian crisis, over 16 million people, or 70% of the population, urgently require assistance, and nearly 7 million Syrian refugees remain sheltered in neighboring countries. The new funding brings Canada’s total commitment to over CAD147 million (US$108 million) in international assistance funding to Syria and neighboring countries in 2024.

On May 27, 2024, as part of the European conference on Syria, the US pledged US$593 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Syria, amounting to almost 15% of the total appeal for funding for this year.

According to USAID, 90% of the Syrian population live below the poverty line, and 70%, of half of which are children, will need humanitarian assistance. The conditions were brought about by the ongoing conflict and a 2023 earthquake. The assistance is slated to include food, water, shelter, health care, and protection for vulnerable people.

This US has provided a total of US$17.8 billion for the Syrian response since the beginning of the conflict.

On May 24, 2024, ICAI released an informative note on the UK's humanitarian response to Gaza, which showed that the UK has tripled the planned amount of assistance to the region since the outbreak of the crisis in October 2023.

The note did not make evaluative judgments on the UK’s performance. It complemented a report published by the IDC on March 1, 2024, on the UK’s humanitarian response to the situation in Gaza.

The note reported that over 35,000 people in Gaza have lost their lives as a result of Israel's military campaign retaliating against a violent attack against its citizens. 1.7 million people are currently displaced in Gaza, with 1 million facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

The note shows that between 2022 and 2023, the UK was due to spend GBP26 million (US$30 million) in ODA to the Occupied Palestinian Territories, with a further GBP27 million (US$32 million) to be allocated for FY2023/24. The humanitarian assistance included funding to UNRWA.

In response to the crisis, the UK announced an additional GBP70 million (US$84 million) in assistance, tripling planned funding for the territories in FY2023/24 to more than GBP100 million (US$120 million). The UK Ministry of Defense has supported the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territories.

In November 2023, the UK revised its humanitarian strategy, initially focusing on diplomacy, advocacy, and flexible funding. Priorities included obtaining multiple humanitarian pauses and increasing humanitarian land access to Gaza. Two additional revisions followed the first.

Most of the support provided by the UK was flexible funding for partners with a long-existing presence within Gaza. In-kind donations to support shelter, core relief items, and logistical support were prioritized, as well as appropriate logistical support. UK humanitarian assistance focused on health support, food and nutrition, shelter, WASH, and support to address GBV and ensure child protection.

The note indicated significant difficulties in getting assistance to those who need it due to restricted access to Gaza. It also showed that the UK has presently put its funding to UNRWA on hold due to allegations, since disputed, that some of its staff were involved in the October attack.

The note finally indicated several potential future lines of inquiry that could be conducted by the ICAI, the UK IDC, or other investigative bodies. The lines included:

• What are the circumstances in which the UK would publicly state its assessment of whether Israel has violated international humanitarian law, and what would be the consequences of such an assessment;
• Given the critical role of UNRWA, what are the UK’s plans for further funding;
• What is the UK’s strategy for restoring adequate food and essential goods supplies to Gaza and ensuring sustainable humanitarian access;
• Should the UK continue to support the development of a maritime corridor;
• What preparations is the UK making to respond to the long-term harm suffered by the population of Gaza; and
• What planning is FCDO undertaking, with international partners, for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza.

On May 21, 2024, at the occasion of the World Water Forum, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would be hosting the One Water Summit on September 23, 2024, in the margins of UNGA79.

The summit will be organized in close collaboration with Kazakhstan, the President of the World Bank, the UN, and many other partners. The objectives will be to build a major international alliance on water, bringing together governments, local authorities, industry, the private sector, associations, and NGOs to invest in the new water economy.

The summit aims to contribute to the ongoing UN discussions and process to enhance global water governance, accelerate action on UN SDG #6 on water and sanitation, and act as an incubator for solutions, in preparation for the next UN Water Conference in 2026. The French presidency also stated that it will place the issue of water at the heart of the agenda of the 4P, launched June 2023 in France, with the aim of reconciling the agendas of combating poverty and protecting the environment.