US announces $127m in new funds to aid Rohingya refugees

The United States has announced more than $127 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Rohingya refugees, host communities in Bangladesh along with the internally displaced Rohingyas and members of other affected communities in Myanmar.

The funding will help address the emergency needs of some of the more than 900,000 refugees in Bangladesh, many of whom are Rohingya women and children from Myanmar's Rakhine State as well as the related needs of Bangladeshi host communities. 

This funding will also provide life-saving assistance to internally displaced persons, including Rohingya, and members of other affected communities in Burma, including those affected by the fighting between the Burmese military and the Arakan Army.

The US remains the leading contributor to the humanitarian response to the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and Bangladesh, having provided more than $669 million since the outbreak of violence in August 2017, the embassy said in a statement.

"The United States cannot meet the crisis’ tremendous funding needs alone."

"We welcome the contributions that some Member States have made to this humanitarian response in recent months, and we call on other countries and stakeholders to do the same."

The US assistance provides protection, emergency shelter, food, nutrition, health, psychosocial support, education, and water, sanitation, and hygiene support for people affected by the crisis, among other activities.

The funding also includes programmes to improve disaster preparedness and bolster access to education for Rohingya in Bangladesh, which will be key to preventing instability in the camps and preparing Rohingya for voluntary repatriation when conditions are conducive to such returns.

The United States commends the government of Bangladesh’s generosity in responding to this humanitarian crisis and appreciates its continued efforts to ensure assistance reaches the affected populations.

The US government remains committed to ensuring that humanitarian and development assistance continues to reach the Bangladeshi communities who have so generously hosted Rohingya refugees.

"We continue to call on Myanmar to create the conditions that would allow for voluntary, safe, dignified, and sustainable returns, based on the informed consent of those who have been forcibly displaced, " read the statement.

"We encourage the government of Myanmar to work with the government of Bangladesh to facilitate the use of the Burmese curriculum to teach Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh."

"This will help facilitate the reintegration of Rohingya youth who choose to return to Myanmar."