In a move to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the United States, through USAID, has announced nearly $424 million in assistance. This substantial package was unveiled in Kinshasa by U.S. Ambassador to the DRC Lucy Tamlyn and U.S. Representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture Jeffrey Prescott.
The aid package includes $414 million dedicated to humanitarian assistance aimed at supporting individuals affected by persistent conflict and displacement in the region. Additionally, $10 million will be allocated to health assistance to combat the ongoing mpox outbreak in the DRC and surrounding areas. As part of this health initiative, USAID will also donate 50,000 mpox vaccines to the DRC, which is the most impacted by the outbreak.
Ambassador Tamlyn highlighted the multifaceted nature of the assistance, stating, “With the additional humanitarian assistance announced today, USAID’s UN and NGO partners will continue to provide urgent food assistance, health care, nutrition support, shelter materials, and water, sanitation, and hygiene services to crisis-affected communities.”
Prescott emphasized the broad scope of the support, adding, “Partners will also continue providing critical child protection services and gender-based violence prevention and response activities for the most vulnerable who bear the brunt of the ongoing crisis.”
Today’s announcement includes more than $170 million in Commodity Credit Corporation funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This funding will be used to purchase, ship, and distribute surplus agricultural commodities from American farmers, providing life-saving food assistance in the DRC.
The United States remains the largest provider of humanitarian assistance to the DRC and the largest bilateral donor to its health sector. In this fiscal year alone, the U.S. has provided over $256 million in health assistance through programs such as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the Global Health Security program. These efforts have enabled more than seven million people to receive lifesaving treatment for diseases including TB, HIV, and malaria.
Prescott called on other nations to join the U.S. in these critical efforts, saying, “We continue to stand by refugees and the Congolese people, and we encourage other donors to join us in our critical efforts to save lives and alleviate suffering caused by this ongoing crisis.”
Today’s announcement brings the total U.S. humanitarian assistance in the DRC to more than $838 million in Fiscal Year 2024, underscoring the United States’ commitment to supporting the Congolese people through these challenging times.
