Washington D.C , April 24, 2024 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) welcomes the passage of a $9 billion global humanitarian aid package that will avoid sharp U.S. cuts in the midst of near record humanitarian need and displacement. The package will save lives and help drive solutions to support people facing armed conflict, economic turmoil, and those affected by the climate crisis. Amid ongoing challenges such as the latest wave of missile strikes in Ukraine, spiraling conflict in Sudan, and imminent famine in Gaza which continue to uproot and destroy lives, U.S. assistance remains essential for people in the worst conflict-affected areas,and remains a vital investment in building resilient futures. However, we remain deeply concerned that the package prohibits aid from going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which plays a central role in the humanitarian response in Gaza - a role that other aid agencies cannot replicate - as well as its critical work assisting millions of Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. All civilians in need of lifesaving humanitarian aid deserve access to it.
With the United Nations estimating that over $46 billion is needed to serve nearly 300 million people in need this year, and only 9% of funding received so far, other countries must follow suit and increase their own funding. The US must continue to use all of its leverage within the international community to build better, bolder solutions fit for people affected by the world’s most challenging crises. To bolster its leadership in the humanitarian field, the US must match these ambitions in future fiscal years.