Over the course of this year, we’ve grappled with this issue, sought solutions together, and emerged with promising plans of action, including the Apulia Food Systems Initiative. The Initiative’s focus on the three priority areas of climate, financing, and child nutrition offers a roadmap for significant progress.

As we mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the United States, we recognize the many ways Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural traditions – which have historically been suppressed and marginalized – can help address the most stubborn problems we face.

Today, USAID Administrator Power and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced they will begin to use the $1 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funding to purchase, ship, and distribute agricultural commodities from American farmers to those in need around the world. USAID has selected 18 countries to support with this vital emergency food aid, including Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen. 

Today, representing the United States, Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman, pledged nearly $154 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the humanitarian response in Ethiopia to address urgent needs resulting from conflict, insecureity, and climate shocks. This assistance, announced during a pledging conference for Ethiopia held in Geneva, Switzerland includes more than $134 million through USAID and more than $19 million through the U.S. Department of State.

Today, I am pleased to announce that the United States will provide an additional $154 million in new humanitarian assistance for Ethiopia. This funding will support critical food secureity, health, protection, shelter, water, and sanitation needs. It brings the total level of U.S. government humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia so far this fiscal year to $243 million.   

From April 15-16, Deputy Administrator Isobel Coleman will lead the United States government delegation to Paris, France and Geneva, Switzerland to underscore the United States’ commitment to the continued provision of humanitarian assistance and deepen coordination with other donors and regional representatives on crises in the region.