US announces over USD 170 million for assistance to Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh

The US has announced USD 170 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Rohingya inside and outside Myanmar as well as for host communities in Bangladesh. With this the total US assistance in response to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis has reached nearly USD 1.9 billion since August 2017 when over 7.4 lakh Rohingya were forced to flee Myanmar into Bangladesh, said a press statement issued by the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken on Thursday.

This additional humanitarian assistance includes more than USD 93 million through the State Department and more than USD 77 million through USAID. With nearly USD 138 million for programs specifically in Bangladesh, it provides life-sustaining support to the over 940,000 Rohingya refugees, and 540,000 host community members in Bangladesh.

The assistance will enable the provision of food, safe drinking water, health care, protection, education, shelter, and psycho-social support. Secretary Blinken also urged other donors to contribute to the humanitarian response and increase support to those driven from and affected by violence in Myanmar.

Secretary of State Blinken lauded the government and people of Bangladesh and other Rohingya-hosting countries in the region for their generosity. He said that since the conditions in Myanmar do not currently allow for the safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable return and reintegration of displaced Rohingya, the US is working with the Government of Bangladesh, Rohingya, and people within Myanmar toward finding solutions to the crisis.