Speeches Shim
Bangladesh is a key U.S. strategic partner in South Asia and shares a strong friendship driven by common interests. Yet, with nearly one in three people living in poverty, the country faces immense development challenges and faces an important crossroads in its democratic evolution. USAID is helping Bangladesh address development challenges that threaten to undermine its economic potential and stability.
In response to a request from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided 622,800 doses of injectable contraceptives to the Government of Bangladesh on March 25, bringing the total contribution from the United States to nearly one million doses valued at $901,232. This latest contribution of injectable contraceptives follows an earlier donation of 292,000 doses delivered in February 2018 and three million sachets of oral rehydration solution delivered in December 2017. Since August 25, 2017, the United States Government has provided more than $110 million to assist Rohingya refugees and host communities in Bangladesh.
Today, the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, announced $18.4 million to the UN World Food Program to provide emergency food assistance to Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar district, Bangladesh.
Over the next two days, we look forward to discussing the exceptional progress Bangladesh has made in many key development sectors and what we can do to build on this progress to ensure that growth is inclusive and leaves no one behind.
It is no secret that Bangladesh made outstanding progress on key Millennium Development Goals and we are confident that similar progress is possible under the Sustainable Development Goals. Indeed, Bangladesh has already shown leadership on the SDGs and has been impressively proactive in incorporating the SDGs into its 7th Five Year Plan and other budget and strategic planning efforts.
On December 6, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded $7.5 million to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) under the Food for Peace Act to improve the nutritional status of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh. With this new award, the U.S. Government has provided over $90 million to assist Rohingya refugees since August 24. Over 625,000 Rohingya have fled violence in Myanmar since August 25.
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