DHAKA, JANUARY 25, 2018 – 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.

This latest contribution, combined with earlier contributions, brings the total amount awarded to the World Food Program specifically for work with refugees in Bangladesh to more than $24 million since August last year. Total US government humanitarian assistance for all entities working with displaced people in and from Burma in the region is more than $177 million since October 2016.

Food insecurity and malnutrition remain serious concerns in Cox’s Bazar. More than 62,800 children under five are in need of treatment for acute malnutrition and 120,000 pregnant and lactating women need nutrition assistance.

USAID Mission Director Janina Jaruzelski said that “USAID is pleased to support the Government of Bangladesh’s commendable efforts in assisting the Rohingya refugees by funding this emergency food assistance. This assistance will give the most vulnerable people the nutrition services they need to survive and will target upwards of 36,000 children under five to help fight acute malnutrition and child mortality.”

USAID’s contributions to the Word Food Program funds emergency food and nutrition assistance for refugees, especially for pregnant and lactating women and children under five, and provides logistical support. USAID-funded distribution of rice, peas, vegetable oil, and super cereals also helps to prevent and treat malnutrition and child mortality.

The U.S. Government, through USAID, has provided more than $7 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh since 1971. In 2016, USAID provided nearly $200 million to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh through programs that expand food security and economic opportunity, improve health and education, promote democratic institutions and practices, protect the environment, and increase resiliency to climate change.