Secretary Blinken will travel this week to South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, where the United States has deployed resources and worked in partnership with African governments, institutions, businesses, scientists and other leaders to prevent and fight hunger. global food security crisis while also addressing the increasing rates of malnutrition that has hit the continent of Africa the hardest.
At the G7 summit in June, President Biden and G7 leaders announced over $4.5 billion to address global food security, over half of which will come from the United States. This $2.76 billion in US government funding will help protect the world’s most vulnerable populations and reduce the effects of growing food insecurity and malnutrition, including from Russia’s war in Ukraine, by increasing production capacity and more resilient agriculture and food systems. build around the world, and respond. for immediate emergency food needs. We have recognized the need for immediate action to avoid far-reaching consequences, and we are responding with support for Africa’s own plans to target food security and food systems transformation.
Of this $2.76 billion, $760 million will be for sustainable near-term food aid to help reduce further increases in poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in vulnerable countries affected by high prices of food, fertilizer, and fuel. Of this amount, we are working with Congress to allocate $336.5 million for bilateral programs for sub-Saharan African countries, including Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and regional programs in South Africa, West Africa and the Sahel.
In addition to the President’s G7 commitment, the United States announced the withdrawal of the balance in the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust, an effort in coordination with the US Department of Agriculture that provides an additional $ 670 million in food aid to respond to historic levels. acute food insecurity around the world. Funds announced in July and August 2022 will be used to purchase US food commodities to bolster existing emergency food operations in countries facing severe food insecurity. Resources are provided to: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
President Biden also announced that the United States will expand sustainable African food production through the US government’s signature global food security initiative to eight additional African countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia . This expansion brings the number of priority countries worldwide to 20 and delivers on President Biden’s commitment in September 2021 to work with Congress to provide $5 billion through Feed the Future to end global hunger, malnutrition and sustainably , building resilient, inclusive food systems abroad.
Finally, the US government will also contribute to international efforts to support livelihoods and nutrition and help vulnerable countries build their resilience to shocks, including food price volatility, supply chain issues, climate impacts and other long-term threats. According to the congressional notification, the United States plans to provide $120 million to the following efforts:
