USAID Humanitarian Assistance Fact Sheet

USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) leads and coordinates the U.S. Government’s disaster response efforts overseas. Helping people affected by disasters is at the core of what we do every day, all over the world. It reflects our values as Americans, demonstrates our global leadership, and makes the world a safer place.

How We Help: USAID helps tens of millions of people by providing critical aid to people in need.

• Agriculture
• Food Assistance and Nutrition
• Health
• Logistics
• Protection
• Relief Commodities
• Shelter
• Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Global Presence: USAID humanitarian staff and resources are strategically located around the world.

• 45+ Countries with full-time humanitarian response staff
• 11 Advisory Offices at USUN missions, CDC, USEU, and U.S. military combatant commands
• 6 Emergency Stockpiles Djibouti, Italy, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, USA-Florida, USA-Texas
• 6 Regional Offices in Bangkok, Thailand; Budapest, Hungary; Dakar, Senegal; Nairobi, Kenya; Pretoria, South Africa; San José, Costa Rica

Strengthening Self-Reliance: BHA doesn’t just respond to humanitarian emergencies. We help lay the initial foundations for longer-term recovery.

• Early Recovery efforts build on humanitarian responses and protect/restore basic systems and services
• Risk Reduction programs prevent or reduce risks associated with chronic and recurrent hazards
• Resilience activities help people, communities and countries mitigate, adapt to, and recover from shocks and stresses

IN FISCAL YEAR 2020 USAID responded to 66 disasters in 49 countries, providing nearly $7.2 billion in assistance.

USAID also had five Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) deployed during the year, responding to the Venezuela regional crisis, the DRC Ebola outbreak, the Lebanon explosions, and crises in Syria, and South Sudan.