By Ebitonye Akpodigha
The United States of America (USA) has announced that it was donating $41 million in additional humanitarian assistance to people affected by the ongoing conflict and severe food insecurity in Nigeria and throughout the Lake Chad Basin region, where more than 6 million people need emergency food assistance, and 2.6 million people are displaced.
On the margins of the 71st United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Muhammadu Buhari made a call to the international community to assist the region.
A statement issued by the US Department of State, which was made available to Business Post on Monday via its media distribution agency, disclosed that the country was making the donation to assist tens of thousands of people receive critically needed humanitarian assistance, including food, water, shelter, and services to address acute hygiene, protection, and nutritional needs.
With this, the United States is providing more than $359 million since fiscal year 2015 to people affected by Boko Haram-related conflict and the related humanitarian crisis.
The United States continues to be the single largest humanitarian donor to the region.
The United Nations estimates an additional $542 million is needed to meet the humanitarian needs of people in the region between September and December 2016.
The US has urged other donors to contribute additional humanitarian assistance for the millions of people in the region whose lives have been affected by Boko Haram violence.
