State Dept Contributes an Initial $124.5 Million to the International Committee of the Red Cross
State Department Contributes an Initial $124.5 Million to the International Committee of the Red Cross
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
February 25, 2014
The United States is pleased to announce an initial contribution of $124.5 million toward the 2014 Emergency Appeal of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Additional contributions will be forthcoming over the course of the year.
This initial contribution, funded through the State Departments Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, will support ICRC efforts worldwide:
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This funding includes support for ICRCs critical protection work, provision of life-saving assistance, family reunification efforts, and prison detainee visits. These funds will support, for example, ICRC operations to treat the sick and wounded in South Sudan and reunify those separated by conflict in the Central African Republic. They will also support protection and life-saving assistance, including the prevention of and response to gender-based violence, the provision of clean water, shelter, food, healthcare, and education and, in Iraq, will also assist economically distressed civilians through improved agriculture production. ICRC supports this type of humanitarian assistance to more than 80 countries around the world.
The $51.5 million for Africa includes funding previously announced for ICRCs response to the crises in South Sudan ($7.5 million) and the Central African Republic ($2.4 million). The $28.4 million for the Near/Middle East includes a $10.8 million contribution to ICRC as part of our announcement at the January 2014 Syria crisis donors conference in Kuwait. The $10.8 million contribution is for ICRC work to support the critical humanitarian needs in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
In FY 2013, the United States contributed more than $280 million to ICRC to support ongoing and emergency programs around the world. We are proud of our partnership with ICRC and look forward to continuing to work together to provide critical humanitarian assistance to those in need.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/02/222543.htm