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USAID delivers $20 million in wheat to Sudan
[SUDANTRIBUNE] The United States has delivered $20 million worth of wheat to the World Food Programme (WFP) to relieve the acute food shortage in Sudan.The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an American federal agency responsible for administering humanitarian foreign aid, donated 65,000 tons of wheat to reduce bread costs in Khartoum following a pledge made in November. The contribution addresses Sudan’s wheat shortages "because of a challenging economy, historic floods earlier this year, and the pandemic of COVID-19," according to the agency’s statement. Recent floods have led to internal displacement, water pollution, and agricultural devastation during a year in which Sudan has already faced record-setting economic crashes and one of the highest inflation rates in the world. Relations between the U.S. and Sudan, however, have significantly improved after the latter’s removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list on Monday. The Transition Government has made efforts to initiate diplomatic relations with Israel, a move which has been approved and praised by the U.S. government. "This agreement is part of the United States’ robust assistance in Sudan, which totalled nearly $437 million in humanitarian assistance in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, including more than $32 million to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic," said the USAID "The United States looks forward to a new era of cooperation with the Transitional Government, civil society, and the private sector in Sudan to bring stability and prosperity to the Sudanese people," it added. The agency further highlighted the U.S. government’s dedication to encouraging anti-violence and food security in Sudan through grants and grain contributions. Posted by: Fred 2020-12-19 |
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