US to Give $169 Million in Aid to Ethiopia, Kenya

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The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday it will provide an additional $169 million in humanitarian aid to the drought-stricken African countries of Ethiopia and Kenya.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) said the funds, over $136 million for Ethiopia and almost $33 million for Kenya, would be used for emergency food aid, nutrition supplies and health services.

USAID said nearly 8 million Ethiopians are in need of urgent humanitarian aid. Without it, the agency said "food insecurity could reach catastrophic levels for some families in the worst-affected areas" and result in "the displacement of affected populations."

In Kenya, USAID said some 2.6 million people are "acutely food-insecure" as drought conditions continue.

The latest round of humanitarian aid increases to $458 million the amount of assistance the U.S. has provided to Ethiopia and Kenya this fiscal year.

Last month, the U.S. pledged nearly $640 million in urgent food assistance to Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen.

In addition to drought-caused food shortages, the countries have had to grapple with armed conflicts and economic turmoil that caused reductions in medical care, shelter and safety and sanitation services.