The US has pledged an additional $50 million in humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas in Bangladesh.
Acting Secretary of State John Sullivan announced on Monday during the sidelines of a G-7 ministerial meeting in Toronto.
Nearly 700,000 Rohingyas fled violence in Myanmar since August, bringing the total number of refugees hosted in Bangladesh to over one million, he said.
“In response to this dire situation, I am announcing today that we are providing an additional $50 million in humanitarian assistance from our Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to support a UN-led joint response plan in Bangladesh,” he said,
It brings the US response to the Rakhine State crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh to more than $163 million since August 2017 and total humanitarian assistance for displaced people in and from Myanmar to more than $255 million since October 2016.
Sullivan said this assistance will support refugees in Bangladeshi host communities to provide protection, emergency shelter, water, sanitation, health care, and psychological support for people affected by the conflict, as well as to prepare for the impending monsoon and cyclone season, which has the potential to bring significant loss of life, shelter, and access to critical services.
“We urge other donors to join us in providing additional humanitarian assistance for those affected by this crisis,” said the acting US secretary of state.
The UN refugee agency has welcomed the decision.
“The United States has a respected humanitarian history and strong bipartisan support today for coming to the aid of refugees around the world in their hour of need,” said Matthew Reynolds, UNHCR Regional Representative for the US and the Caribbean.
“Today’s announcement is another timely expression of this US tradition. We are, on behalf of the many refugees whose lives will be improved by it, truly grateful to the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and our other partners in the US Administration and Congress for this life-saving humanitarian help,” Reynolds said.
The much-needed humanitarian assistance comes as UNHCR and other aid agebcues race to ensure that over a million Rohingya refugees and 330,000 vulnerable Bangladeshis in host communities are prepared for the monsoon and cyclone season, which can have deadly consequences on vulnerable populations.
UN agencies and NGO partners last month issued a $951 million appeal to meet the urgent needs of the Rohingya humanitarian crisis.
In a separate statement, the US state department applauded Bangladesh’s generosity in responding to this humanitarian crisis and appreciate its continued efforts to ensure assistance reaches people in need.
“We continue to urge all actors to play a constructive role in resolving this crisis – ending violence in Burma and restoring the rule of law, immediately granting humanitarian and media access, guaranteeing those who want to voluntarily return to their homes are able to do so in a safe and dignified manner, and addressing the root causes of the crisis in Rakhine State,” it said.
The US called the Myanmar government to immediately implement the recommendations of the 2017 Advisory Commission on Rakhine State.