Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced on May 7, 2024, humanitarian, economic and development assistance of 578 million dollars to support partner countries and to help communities respond to urgent humanitarian needs, to expand legal access pathways and support the regularization and integration of immigrants during the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Ministerial Protection in Guatemala City.
In a press release from the Office of the Spokesperson of the United States Department of State and the US Embassy in Haiti shared on the same date, the US Department of State said that almost 459 million dollars in humanitarian assistance is more concerned with the needs of refugees, vulnerable migrants and other displaced people throughout the Western Hemisphere. and support the Mobility Safety Initiative.
In the document reviewed by Loop, Americans know that this “vital” assistance from the American people includes more than $376 million through the State Department’s Office of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) and nearly $83 million through U.S. agencies. for International Development (USAID), while underlining that this aid will bring the total humanitarian assistance of the United States to the Western Hemisphere to more than 3.9 billion dollars by fiscal year 2021.
Americans are proud to be the largest donor of humanitarian assistance to the Western Hemisphere and strongly support the commitment of international organizations, civil society, the private sector, multilateral development banks, and think tanks to important work. are part of the Declaration, as it promises to reduce irregular migration and improve the lives of millions of people across the Americas, with collaborative efforts with partners.
“The assistance announced in Guatemala advances the goals of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection and will respond to humanitarian needs arising from historic levels of displacement, with more than 22 million people displaced across the region, including more than 7.7 million Venezuelans”, we can read in the communique.
Citing some of the areas it provides aid to, such as human rights, immigration and others, the United States puts forward that this humanitarian assistance complements the efforts of the host communities deployed in Argentina, Aruba, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
“Through this assistance, the United States is making it possible for millions of refugees, migrants, and other vulnerable people who move to the region to meet their basic needs, stay safe in the region, integrate themselves, participate in the local economy, and rebuild their lives where they are,” we read further in the communique, which adds that the United States implements strong safeguards against money laundering and other risks and works through trusted organizations to ensure that assistance reaches those who need it.
