Obama offers $50m to South Sudan

US President Barack Obama authorized Monday the use of up to USD 50 million in assistance from the US Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to help address urgent humanitarian needs resulting from the crisis in South Sudan. The amount will support the UN High Commission for Refugees and its partners "as they urgently expand assistance to help the more than 300,000 refugees that have crossed into Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda, as well as to provide critical household items, shelter support, and protection services to internally displaced persons in South Sudan," National Security Council (NSC) Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden said in a statement. Hayden stressed that "months of conflict between the Government of South Sudan and rebel forces have exacted a terrible toll on the people of South Sudan." Over 1.3 million people have been displaced and the country is now "at risk of famine unless humanitarian agencies are able to scale up relief efforts and access those in need," Hayden noted. Hayden indicated that the USD 50 million in additional Emergency Refugee and Assistance Funds Obama authorized today "will form part of a package of nearly USD 300 million in additional assistance the US delegation will formally pledge tomorrow (Tuesday) in Oslo, bringing total US humanitarian assistance since the start of the conflict in December 2013 to approximately USD 433.6 million." Source: KUNA