Public Benefit
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The U.S. Government gives more to those in crisis than any other country in the world. It achieves this by directing such contributions to thousands of non-profit partners and international organizations. In this picture Catholic Relief Services distributes supplies in Purri, Pakistan. USAID Photo |
The Department of State and USAID are among the lead agencies in responding to natural disasters and complex emergencies. The United States commitment to humanitarian response demonstrates America?s compassion for victims of natural disasters, armed conflict, forced migration, persecution, human rights violations, widespread health and food insecurity, and other threats. The strength of this commitment derives from both our common humanity and our responsibility as a global leader. It requires urgent responses to emergencies, and concerted efforts to address hunger, continuing high-quality assistance in protracted crisis situations, and the ability to build capacity to prevent and mitigate the effects of conflict and disasters.
U.S. emergency responses to population displacement and human-made disasters complement efforts to promote democracy and human rights. The U.S. provides substantial resources and guidance through international and nongovernmental organizations for worldwide humanitarian programs, with the objective of saving lives and minimizing suffering in the midst of crises, increasing access to protection, promoting shared responsibility, and coordinating funding and implementation strategies. Our strategic priorities include: providing protection, assistance, and solutions; preventing and mitigating disasters; and promoting orderly and humane means for migration management.
2007 Resources Invested
| State Operations |
Foreign Assistance |
Total |
|---|---|---|
| $.060 billion | $3.095 billion | $3.15 billion |
Strategic Priorities
Protection, Assistance, and Solutions: The U.S. provides life-saving disaster relief, including food aid, and other humanitarian assistance for refugees, internally displaced persons, and others affected by natural disasters and complex, human-made crises. U.S. Government assistance advances the humanitarian assistance strategic goal by protecting these vulnerable populations from physical harm, persecution, exploitation, abuse, malnutrition and disease, family separation, gender-based violence, forcible recruitment, and other threats, to ensure that their full rights as individuals are safe-guarded. In 2007, U.S. emergency humanitarian assistance programs responded to more than 70 disasters in 56 countries. Title II food aid continued to play a critical role in the prevention of famine in Darfur, Sudan. In 2007, USAID?s Office of Food for Peace provided 50 percent of the United Nations World Food Program?s (WFP) Sudan appeal, representing more than 67 percent of all donor contributions received. Sizable and timely contributions from USAID ensured that WFP was able to meet 100 percent of its pre-positioning targets for Darfur and Southern Sudan in 2007. This achievement prevented WFP from having to airlift any commodities to the region, saving costs and ensuring timely commodity deliveries during the most critical time of the year.
The following indicator reflects the percentage of targeted populations, worldwide, who received emergency food aid from programs managed by USAID?s Office of Food for Peace. Due to the increased cost to purchase and transport Title II food aid, fewer commodities reached beneficiaries in 2007 than anticipated. The U.S. Government has implemented a number of steps to improve program efficiency and effectiveness, such as better beneficiary targeting as well as more selective commodity purchasing, in an attempt to continue adequate support to countries in need of emergency food aid. For example, the USAID Famine Early Warning System Network continued to provide information related to the emergence, scope, and impact of potential humanitarian emergencies, and the food security status of vulnerable populations. This supported USAID decision-making and programming in a variety of ways, but was particularly cost-effective in helping to prioritize the allocation and timing of Title II food aid resources.
| Performance Indicator | 2005 Results |
2006 Results |
2007 Target |
2007 Results |
2007 Rating |
2008 Target |
2009 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of Planned Emergency Food Aid Beneficiaries Reached | 85% | 84% | 93% | 86% |  |
93% | 93% |
Assistance in this area also sustains key foreign policy objectives to promote stability by supporting large-scale returns to Afghanistan, Sudan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and elsewhere, and provides critical protection and assistance in situations of protracted population displacement throughout the world, including resettlement to the United States. Through the refugee admissions program, for example, nearly 50,000 refugees achieved protection and a durable solution, beginning new lives in communities across the country.
| Performance Indicator | 2005 Results |
2006 Results |
2007 Target |
2007 Results |
2007 Rating |
2008 Target |
2009 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of Refugees Admitted to the U.S. Compared to the Regional Ceilings | 108% | 69% | 100% | 97% |  |
100% | 100% |
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A Lebanese woman displays her relief supplies. USAID-funded groups rehabilitated housing, community spaces, and clinics; distributed relief supplies; and assisted with food, agriculture, jobs, infrastructure, water, and hygiene. Mercy Corps Photo |
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation: U.S. Government assistance builds the capacity of affected countries, American responders, and the international community, to reduce risks, prepare for rapid response, and increase the affected population?s ability to cope with and recover from the effects of a disaster.
Orderly and Humane Means for Migration Management: People migrate for many reasons, including escaping from conflict or persecution, avoiding natural disasters and environmental degradation, seeking economic opportunities, and reuniting with family. The U.S. remains committed to building the capacity of host governments to manage migration effectively and to ensure full respect for the human rights of vulnerable migrants in accordance with the law.
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