Biden pledges $1 billion to help African refugees and displaced people
US President Joe Biden has pledged that his country will provide more than $1 billion to help refugees and people displaced by drought or conflicts in the African continent.
Biden announced the aid for Africans displaced by historic droughts in a speech during his visit to Angola, in the capital Luanda, on his first visit as president to sub-Saharan Africa.
The US Agency for International Development said the aid will be used to address food insecurity and emergency needs of refugees, displaced persons and affected communities in 31 countries on the continent.
The US agency indicated in a statement that this assistance reflects Washington’s firm commitment to stand with partners in Africa, and people across the continent to confront the challenge of food insecurity.
The agency explained that Washington provided about $6.6 billion in aid to sub-Saharan African countries during the 2024 fiscal year.
Sub-Saharan African countries are suffering from droughts that are considered by some estimates to be the worst in nearly a century, causing significant losses in agriculture and livestock.
UN figures indicate that about 20% of Africans, or about 300 million people, suffered from hunger during the year 2023, and that the number of those suffering from food insecurity is constantly increasing.
