The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a significant boost to its humanitarian efforts in Bangladesh's Rohingya crisis, thanks to a substantial contribution from the US Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance.
The latest US contribution, valued at $121 million, will support vital food and nutrition assistance for over 1 million Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh, said a press release on Thursday.
The funds will also enhance resilience-building and disaster risk reduction measures in the camps, and offer support to children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers in host communities to combat malnutrition.
In addition to providing life-saving food, the US funding will enable WFP to address the urgent needs of Rohingya families during emergencies such as cyclones, floods, landslides, and fires by providing meals and biscuits.
“The United States continues to lead the way in funding this crucial humanitarian response for Rohingya refugees. Our commitment remains unwavering,” said Reed Aeschliman, USAID Mission Director in Bangladesh, urging the international community to maintain focus on the needs of both the refugees and their generous host communities.
Now in its eighth year, the Rohingya crisis remains precarious, with limited job opportunities and growing security concerns.
In 2023, reduced funding forced WFP to cut food rations to $8 per person per month, exacerbating malnutrition levels among the refugee population.
Thanks to the US support, WFP restored the ration to $12.50 per person in August 2024, while also introducing fortified rice for the first time.
However, WFP urgently requires an additional $80 million to maintain this level of support and continue operations through next year.
“We are grateful to the United States for their unwavering support,” said Dom Scalpelli, WFP Country Director in Bangladesh, calling on other international partners to step forward and help meet the urgent needs of Rohingya families until safe repatriation to Myanmar becomes possible.
