Bush authorizes funds for Palestinian, African refugees

May 2007

US President George W. Bush on Friday authorized nearly 30 million dollars in aid for refugees in Africa and the West Bank and Gaza, the White House said Friday.

Bush authorized the US State Department "to use up to 29.5 million dollars from the US Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund for operations" in those areas "in order to meet unexpected, urgent humanitarian needs," said a White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

These funds are aimed at providing emergency assistance to internally displaced persons and refugees, the official said.

"They will support refugee feeding operations and avert food pipeline breaks in several African countries and the West Bank and Gaza, and address the humanitarian needs of increasing numbers of refugees and victims of conflicts in Somalia, Sudan, and Chad," the official said, adding that in Chad and Somalia the funds will also pay for seeds, tools, health care, food and water.

The funds will go to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Food Program, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, and several non-governmental organizations, the official said.

Source: AFP

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