The United States (US) has announced a $93 million emergency food assistance programme for 13 nations, including 12 in Africa, to address worsening hunger and malnutrition.
The US department of state said the programme will provide ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for nearly one million children suffering from severe malnutrition.
The department said the package includes 1,209 metric tons of existing stock and funds to produce an additional 11,285 metric tons.
According to the US government, some of the benefiting countries are Haiti, Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Kenya, and Chad.
Speaking recently at a press briefing,Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the US state department, said the aid will also cover essential food commodities, targeted nutritional support, and emergency logistics.
“Today marks the first 200 days of the Trump Administration, and with it 200 days of delivering results and real wins for the American people. Under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Rubio, the United States is restoring strength, securing prosperity, and standing up for American interests on the world stage,” Pigott said.
“The United States is providing an additional $93 million to treat nearly 1 million children suffering from malnutrition with lifesaving, ready-to-use therapeutic food – RUTF – from and by American producers. This critical funding will help save lives in 13 countries … drawing down the entire prepositioned stock of RUTF and supporting continued production to meet ongoing needs.”
The announcement comes a month after the closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Trump administration’s cost-cutting reforms — a move that drew criticism from former US leaders and global health experts.
The USAID was founded in 1961 under the late President John Kennedy and has long been the lead agency for US humanitarian and development aid, overseeing programmes in global health, education, agriculture, democracy support, and disaster relief across over 100 countries.
But Trump has been vocal in his criticism of the USAID’s essence, arguing that its funding should be redirected towards domestic priorities.