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Food Security: US commits additional $55million to emergency funds for Nigeria

*The United States Mission in Nigeria discloses the funds will help to address the immediate economic, food and nutrition needs of vulnerable communities  adversely impacted by higher food, fuel, and fertilizer prices in the country

Isola Moses ConsumerConnect

In a move to further raise the country’s support to Nigeria in areas agriculture, nutrition, and humanitarian assistance, the United States (US) is to invest $55 million additional fund in nutrition security.

ConsumerConnect reports the US Mission in Nigeria in a statement said that the facility as relief for Nigerians would be part of President Joe Biden’s recent pledge at the G-7 Leader’s Summit in Germany.

The fund is dedicated to protecting the most vulnerable countries from an escalating global food crisis.

The Mission also disclosed the fund would be administered through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) under its agriculture, nutrition, and humanitarian assistance programmes and subject to Congressional approval.

Mary Beth Leonard, US Ambassador to Nigeria, in the statement, said: “The funds will help immediately address the economic, food and nutrition needs of vulnerable communities in Nigeria most adversely impacted by higher food, fuel, and fertilizer prices.” the statement read in part.

The statement further noted: “US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, reaffirmed the commitment of the United States and the American people to improving the economic well-being and food security of all Nigerians.

“The United States is committed to mitigating the adverse effect of the current global food crisis on the people of Nigeria.”

Leonard also said: “We strongly support Nigeria’s economic prosperity and well-being, and our decades-long partnership with the Nigerian government, the private sector, and NGO community to address the country’s most urgent development and humanitarian needs.

“We empathis with the hardships and suffering of Nigerian citizens that have been exacerbated as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its negative impact on food security, and we fully expect President Biden’s initiative will significantly soften the blow of these war-related international price shocks.”

According to her, with this funding initiative, US total investment internationally in combating the global food security crisis since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will reach over $5.6 billion.

“The United States will use every tool available to address the humanitarian and long-term impacts of Russia’s war and other such shocks on global food security and nutrition,” added the statement.

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