US pledges $2B for UN humanitarian aid, presses agencies to reform

The U.S. announced Dec. 29 that it will pledge $2 billion for United Nations (UN) humanitarian programs, a reduced level of funding compared with recent years, as the Trump administration continues to reduce overall U.S. foreign assistance while pressing for reforms within the UN aid system.

The announcement was made in Geneva, where the U.S. Department of State and the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) signed a memorandum of understanding outlining a new framework for U.S. funding of UN humanitarian assistance, according to a state department release. ---More...