WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 06th August, 2020) The State Department and US Agency for International Development (USAID) plan to increase the United States' global aid for anti-COVID-19 efforts by $53 million, bringing the amount spent by the two agencies on virus mitigation efforts to $1.6 billion, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a press release.
"I am pleased to announce nearly $53 million in new State Department and USAID humanitarian and economic assistance to help vulnerable people and partner countries alike continue to fight COVID-19 across the globe. This new funding brings funding from the State Department and USAID alone to more than $1.6 billion, further cementing U.S. leadership in the global response to the pandemic," Pompeo said on Wednesday.
The announcement brings COVID-19-related international aid from all US government agencies thus far to $20.5 billion, Pompeo said.
Nearly $33 million in the latest distribution focuses on humanitarian assistance to supplement efforts by other international agencies and private charities to provide water, sanitation and health services in refugee camps and host communities, Pompeo said.
The remaining $20 million will target "second order effects" of the pandemic such as resulting stresses on democratic institutions, human rights, trade and agriculture, Pompeo added.
