WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States is providing an additional $20 million in emergency food assistance for Iraq to address the humanitarian crisis resulting from the ongoing conflict, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Stuart E. Jones announced today.

 

This contribution supports purchase of food for family food parcels and immediate response rations for vulnerable Iraqis. The family baskets include food to be prepared, such as flour, rice, oil, and dry peas and beans, while the ready-to-eat baskets are for displaced families who do not have access to kitchens. They include canned meat, canned peas and beans, dates, and biscuits.

 

With this new funding the U.S. Government - through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) - is helping the UN World Food Program reach 1.5 million displaced and conflict affected Iraqis throughout the country. This contribution is coming at a critical time for the UN World Food Program, as it has been forced to reduce levels of assistance in both the size and frequency of distributions due to severe funding constraints.

 

Prolonged violence perpetrated by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has exacerbated the humanitarian situation in Iraq, pushing it to crisis levels not seen in years. Iraq is one of the fastest growing displacement crises in the world, with more than 3.3 million people forced from their homes since January 2014.

 

Since 2014, the United States has provided nearly $624 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance for the Iraqi people for critically needed relief items, food, shelter, clean water, medical services and the protection of displaced populations.  The Government of Iraq is leading the response to this crisis, but the United States remains committed to supporting the Iraqi people during their time of need.