The United States has announced a $93 million emergency food assistance programme targeting 13 countries battling worsening hunger and malnutrition including 12 in Africa and Haiti.
Beneficiaries are Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Kenya, Chad, and Haiti. The package aims to provide ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for nearly one million children suffering from severe malnutrition.
According to the US State Department, the aid includes 1,209 metric tons of existing stock and funds to produce an additional 11,285 metric tons. It will also cover essential food commodities, targeted nutritional support, and emergency logistics.
The principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, Tommy Pigott tied the announcement to the administration’s political narrative, marking “200 days of delivering results and real wins for the American people” under President Donald Trump and Secretary Rubio.
“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,” Pigott said.
The timing of the announcement is notable, it comes just weeks after the Trump administration shut down the US Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of cost-cutting reforms, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from former US leaders and global health experts.
Founded in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy, USAID had long been America’s primary channel for humanitarian and development aid, overseeing projects in health, education, agriculture, democracy, and disaster relief in over 100 countries.
While the White House has defended the closure as part of a “streamlined, America-first” approach to foreign aid, critics argue that dismantling USAID risks undermining the very programmes this new funding seeks to sustain.
