Policy Updates

On July 18, 2024, the US announced additional humanitarian assistance to both Chad and Sudan to help alleviate urgent humanitarian needs, totaling US$203 million for the people of Sudan and US$69 million for the people of Chad.

The assistance in Chad is intended to help address the needs of crisis-affection populations that are facing severe food insecurity, in part because of the conflict in Sudan and the refugee crisis it has caused. In Sudan, populations are facing historic levels of food insecurity, including famine.

In both cases, the humanitarian assistance will include food, nutrition, health care, WASH services, shelter, and cash. The assistance funding comes through both the US State Department and USAID.

On July 5, 2024, the US, in response to the continuing humanitarian crisis in South Sudan, announced an additional US$57 million to the people of South Sudan to address the compound effects of violence, mass migration, and climate events such as seasonal flooding.

The care provided by the US will include health, WASH services, shelter, and other protections for vulnerable populations.

The UN estimates that 73% of the local population will need humanitarian assistance in 2024. 1.6 million children are at risk of acute malnutrition.

The US has provided US$351 million in FY2024 and a total of US$7.3 billion to South Sudan since 2011, when the country gained its independence.

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.