U.S. announces additional $21M in humanitarian aid to Syria

Sep 7 2012

"The United States is adding $21 million to its humanitarian aid package for people displaced by violence in Syria, U.S. officials said Wednesday amid U.N. reports that more than 100,000 Syrians fled to neighboring countries in August," the Washington Times reports (Taylor, 9/5). "USAID [Administrator] Rajiv Shah announced during a visit to Jordan that the new funds would be made available to the U.N. World Food Programme to help feed Syrians both inside and outside the country," Agence France-Presse writes (9/5).

"Of this new funding, $14.3 million will provide food assistance to conflict-affected people inside Syria and $6.7 million to support Syrians displaced to neighboring countries," according to RTT News (9/5). "Wednesday's uptick in funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian aid package to more than $100 million, with funds now spread across a variety of international agencies trying to help displaced Syrians filling refugee camps," the Washington Times adds, noting, "About $49 million already has been channeled to the World Food Programme, more than $23 million to the U.N.'s main refugee office and some $15 million to nongovernmental groups operating in the region" (9/5).