US announces $30m for Rohingya refugee crisis

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomed a newly announced US $30 million contribution from the United States that will be used to provide food assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, according to a press release.

The funding comes on top of US $25 million already provided by the United States to support WFP's work in Cox's Bazar since the refugee crisis began in August 2017,

The funds will support WFP to continue to provide food and food vouchers for more than 800,000 people as well as distribute nutritious supplementary foods for pregnant and nursing mothers and children under the age of five, according to a UN WFP press release.

"The humanitarian community is racing against time to prepare for the rains and storms of the monsoon season. The timing of this donation from the United States is crucial," said Peter Guest, WFP Emergency Coordinator in Cox's Bazar.

"But we still need more support from the international community – or else people will go hungry."

The administrator of USAID, Mark Green, recently announced the new contribution on a visit to WFP activities in Cox's Bazar.

"I have had a chance to talk to some of the Rohingya about the terrible atrocities they have faced, and it's as bad as it possibly can be. But you also see some hope here: when you see young children playing together and socializing, and you see nutrition programmes and feeding programmes," Green said.