President Kiir of South Sudan

The Administrator of USAID, Ms Gayle Smith, on Friday announced her government’s release of an additional $133 million (about N41.8 billion) for humanitarian assistance to refugees in South Sudan.

Smith made the announcement at the High Level Side Event on South Sudan at the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York.

The event was monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

According to her, the additional fund brings the total U.S. assistance to South Sudan to about $1.9 billion (about N597 billion since the start of the conflict in December, 2013.

“The U.S. today announced about $133 million as new assistance to South Sudanese refugees and Internally Displaced Persons now numbering over one million.

“This funding will also assist refugees who have fled to South Sudan and others affected by the ongoing conflict.

“This additional funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian aid for the people of South Sudan to about $1.9billion since the conflict started in December, 2013,’’she said.

The USAID administrator said that the new fund would boost emergency health services, increase access to clean water and sanitation and provide psychosocial support and other services to survivors of gender-based violence.

She also said that the fund would increase access to emergency education for refugee children as well as build and expand new refugee camps throughout the region.

The U.S. official added that the assistance would also help in providing food, nutrition supplements for children suffering from malnutrition and reunite families.

Smith said that it was imperative for all parties to stop attacking civilians, cease violations of humanitarian laws and principles as well as ensure that the assistance got to the refugees.

According to her, no amount of humanitarian aid will end the violence or provide lasting solutions to the man-made crisis.

Smith enjoined other donor countries and organisations to also provide timely additional humanitarian assistance for the South Sudanese.

“More than 2.7 million people have had to flee their homes, either to other parts of South Sudan or to neighbouring countries as refugees.

“We commend the neighbouring countries, including the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda that have provided asylum to the refugees.

“The U.S. encourages other donors to provide timely additional humanitarian assistance for the South Sudanese,’’ she said. (NAN)