Canada will provide $119.25 million in humanitarian funding to crisis-affected people in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, Marie-Claude Bibeau (photo), the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie of Canada, revealed on Monday.

“The funding announced will help provide life-saving assistance to crisis-affected people in these countries and will take into account the specific needs of women and children. It will include the provision of food and nutrition, health care services, clean water and sanitation facilities, and livelihoods support,” she said in a statement.

According to Bibeau, due to the conflicts in northeastern Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen, paired with the disturbing drought affecting Somalia, over 20 million people are facing extreme food insecurity, with famine already confirmed in some parts of South Sudan. “It is a human tragedy that the situation has deteriorated to the extent where we have over 20 million people facing starvation. This assistance will be disbursed immediately to the most affected areas,” the minister explained, adding that the fund will be provided through humanitarian partners such as UN agencies, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and Canadian and international non-governmental organizations.

Let’s recall that in 2016, Canada provided over $100 million in life-saving humanitarian support to internally displaced people in the four countries. The Canada's humanitarian assistance saves lives, alleviates suffering and maintains dignity of those affected by natural disasters, conflict or acute food insecurity.

Anita Fatunji