Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
April 20, 2013

Following his meetings with Syrian Coalition President al-Khatib, members of the Coalition’s leadership, and international partners supporting the Syrian opposition, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the United States’ intention to double non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, as well as provide additional humanitarian aid to Syrians in need.

The new non-lethal assistance underscores the United States’ firm support for a political solution to the crisis in Syria and for the opposition’s advancement of an inclusive, tolerant vision for a post-Assad Syria. The United States will work with the Syrian Coalition and other opposition representatives to determine how the new $123 million in non-lethal assistance can best support their efforts to meet the needs of the Syrian people and lead the way to a political transition that will bring an end to this conflict, and build the inclusive, democratic Syria that its people deserve. This new pledge brings our total non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition and civil society groups to $250 million. MORE

About the Author: Rebecca Gustafson serves on USAID’s Syria Response Management Team.

As part of the $385 million in U.S. government humanitarian assistance for the people of Syria, USAID is supporting more than 110 field hospitals, medical clinics and medical points across Syria that have saved countless lives.

Hajji Rajaa is a 69-year old grandmother who lives on her own in Rif Damascus. As she was traveling to buy groceries for her family, she was hit in the knee by sniper fire.

Once the scene was deemed safe, bystanders transported Hajji Rajaa to a nearby USAID-funded field hospital. The medical team quickly determined the extent of the damage, thankful the bullet had not hit the femoral artery.

Doctors removed the bullet and treated her wound, but Hajji Rajaa required daily care to ensure her wound was healing properly. Though she wanted to recover at home with her family nearby, she was unable to travel to the field hospital… more »

About the Author: Rebecca Gustafson serves on USAID’s Syria Response Management Team.

In January 2013, a mortar shell struck an apartment in Dar’a Governorate. A mother in an adjoining apartment grabbed her 7-month old son Dia’a* and ran to check for survivors.

Just as she discovered her brother was killed in the attack, another mortar shell hit the building — this time killing one of her other sons. The explosion also ruptured a water heater, blasting scalding water on Dia’a’s face and right arm.

Dia’a was rushed to a nearby Syrian government-run medical clinic, where many believe that women and children can safely receive care. After Dia’a received basic aid, a worker at the clinic discreetly warned the mother that they should leave before she and her son were both killed.

The family fled to the Jordanian border and were received by Jordanian border guards, who transported them to Za’atri refugee camp. During the trip, Dia’a… more »

President Obama announces an additional $155 million in humanitarian aid for those affected by the violence of the Assad regime. This aid from the American people is providing food, clean water, medicine, medical treatment, immunizations for children, clothing, and winter supplies for millions of people in need inside Syria and in neighboring countries.

On January 25, 2013, U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne C. Richard, and USAID Assistant Administrator for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance Nancy Lindborg met with Turkish partners and assistance providers to discuss the needs of Syrian refugees and ongoing humanitarian assistance efforts.

Fact Sheet
Office of the Haiti Special Coordinator
January 11, 2013

In early 2009, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made Haiti a foreign policy priority and committed to working to change the way we partnered with Haiti. For more than three and a half years, the U.S. Government (USG) has worked closely to be a good partner to the government and people of Haiti. After the devastating earthquake of 2010, the U.S. worked to support the Government of Haiti (GOH) and meet the most immediate life-saving and life-sustaining needs on the ground. For some time the U.S. pursued two tracks of engagement and has ensured that they complement one another: the first to address immediate humanitarian and emergency aid needs; and the second to continue to pursue a strategy to promote long-term sustainable development in Haiti.

Below is a high-level overview of some of the U.S. contributions to help Haiti on a path to economic prosperity and political stability. MORE

Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
January 9, 2013

The United States supports the Syrian people’s aspirations for a Syrian-led transition to a democratic, inclusive, and peaceful Syria. Over nearly two years of unrest and violence, the United Nations estimates that 60,000 Syrians have been killed. Nearly 600,000 Syrians have registered or are awaiting registration in neighboring countries, while an additional 2.5 million persons are internally displaced and 4 million people inside Syria are in need of assistance. The Syrian regime has sacrificed all legitimacy in a vicious effort to cling to power. U.S. assistance includes vigorous diplomatic support of the newly formed Syrian Opposition Coalition, humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict, and non-lethal support for local councils and civil society inside Syria. MORE

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 12, 2012

Today, Deputy Secretary of State William J. Burns announced the United States is providing nearly $14 million in additional humanitarian aid that will provide nutrition support for children, as well as additional emergency medical and winterization supplies to families in need inside Syria. With this new assistance, the United States is providing $210 million in humanitarian assistance to help over 1.5 million people inside Syria and the hundreds of thousands who have fled to neighboring countries.

This new assistance will provide a monthly ration of highly-fortified, ready-to-use food supplements to help approximately 225,000 children in Syria. These supplements are specially formulated for young children between 6 and 24 months of age and provide all the vitamins and minerals required for their development. To further increase medical capacity in Syria, this additional aid also includes essential medicines and supplies for 150,000 people and specialized drugs and supplies for 3,000 surgical interventions. We are also supporting the Early Warning Alert and Response System, a medical surveillance system that allows early detection and timely response to epidemics of communicable diseases. The United States is already working to reach 375,000 people in Syria with critical, life-saving winterization supplies, and this new funding will provide heavy-duty plastic insulation, duct tape, blankets, mattresses, rubber boots, and woolen socks to help an additional 45,000 people with winterization needs.

The United States, along with the international community, is working tirelessly to ensure that the innocent children, women, and men affected by the conflict in Syria are provided with life-saving assistance, and we will continue to stand by them in their time of need. The United States acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, and Iraq to keep borders open and generously hosting and providing assistance to those fleeing Asad’s brutality.

For more detailed information on the U.S. government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, please visit:http://www.usaid.gov/crisis/syria.

Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 14, 2012

Today Secretary Clinton announced that the United States is providing $30 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help those affected by the conflict in Syria.

With this new assistance, the United States is providing nearly $200 million in humanitarian aid to help those suffering as a result of the Assad regime’s violence inside Syria and in neighboring countries.

In Syria, this funding will allow for the immediate procurement of food in local and regional markets to provide family food baskets to those in need, which contain vital necessities such as rice, beans, and cooking oil. In neighboring countries, this additional assistance from the United States will provide food supplies, hot meals, and food vouchers for families who have fled the violence in Syria. This additional assistance will be provided through the World Food Program (WFP), which is providing food aid to 1.5 million people in Syria and the refugees who have fled to neighboring countries. The United States is the largest donor of food aid for those affected by the conflict in Syria through WFP.

The United States is providing food aid, medical supplies, emergency and basic health care, shelter materials, clean water, hygiene education and supplies, and other relief supplies - including blankets and heaters - to help more than one million people inside Syria and the nearly 400,000 refugees in neighboring countries.

The United States, along with the international community, is tirelessly working to provide humanitarian assistance to the innocent children, women, and men affected by the conflict in Syria, and we will continue to stand by them in their time of need.

For more detailed information on the U.S. Government’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria, please visit:http://www.usaid.gov/crisis/syria.