In advance of tomorrow’s South Sudan pledging conference in Oslo, Norway, today the President authorized the use of up to $50 million in assistance from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund to help address urgent humanitarian needs resulting from the crisis in South Sudan. The $50 million 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.
Months of conflict between the Government of South Sudan and rebel forces have exacted a terrible toll on the people of South Sudan. More than 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. Even as we continue our intensive effort to end the violence, we are working to meet the humanitarian needs of the South Sudanese people. The $50 million in additional Emergency Refugee and Assistance Funds the President authorized today will form part of a package of nearly $300 million in additional assistance the U.S. delegation will formally pledge tomorrow in Oslo, bringing total U.S. humanitarian assistance since the start of the conflict in December 2013 to approximately $433.6 million.