The USAID and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSRelief) have decided to provide $1.0 million each to a programme to rehabilitate cyclone shelters and reduce the risk of disasters in Cox’s Bazar.
To this end, the two parties signed an agreement on Friday to co-fund a World Food Programme (WFP) project, said a US embassy statement on Friday.
The signing ceremony was held virtually with participation of the USAID Acting Deputy Administrator John Barsa, KSRelief Supervisor General Dr. Abullah Al Rabeeah, US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid, and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ambassador to the United States HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud.
Acting Deputy Administrator Barsa reiterated the commitment of the US to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable Bangladeshi host communities in Cox’s Bazar that is sheltering over 860,000 Rohingya refugees, including in the world’s largest refugee camp, while facing compounding shocks, including extreme weather and the pandemic of COVID-19.
The Acting Deputy Administrator also recognised USAID’s long-standing collaboration with KSRelief and commended the agency for joining USAID as a leading donor of needs-based humanitarian assistance to the world’s most vulnerable.
The Acting Deputy Administrator thanked WFP for its partnership with USAID to combat global hunger and respond to the Rohingya crisis and other humanitarian emergencies around the world.
