Trump commits USD 300 million to fight Africa famine

Image
AFP Vatican City
Last Updated : May 24 2017 | 11:22 PM IST
US President Donald Trump told Pope Francis today he was committing more than USD 300 million (270 million euros) to help prevent or tackle famine in Yemen and several countries in Africa.
Trump, meeting the pontiff for the first time, said he had "renewed" the US "commitment to fighting global famine", with the United Nations warning that about 20 million people across Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are at risk.
The UN has described the situation as the biggest humanitarian crisis in its history, but donor funding is falling far short.
It appealed earlier this month for USD 4.4 billion, but said less than a third had been raised.
"As he (Trump) relayed at the Vatican, the United States is proud to announce more than $300 million in anti-famine spending" for the area, a White House statement said.
His announcement came just a day after the US State Department laid out plans to put "America first" and slash Washington's budget for diplomacy and foreign aid by more than 30 per cent.
The deepest cuts will hit foreign assistance programmes and contributions by the world's largest economy to international organisations like the United Nations and its global peacekeeping budget.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 24 2017 | 11:22 PM IST

Next Story