U.S. Agency for International Development Announcements for the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom

 
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is deeply committed to assisting the world's most vulnerable people, including persecuted religious minorities. As part of the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, the United States announced:

• New Humanitarian Aid for Iraqi Religious Minorities: USAID will provide an additional $27 million in humanitarian assistance for ethnic and religious minorities in the Ninewa Plains and Western Ninewa Province. This funding will help provide services to meet critical health, protection, shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. In addition, these funds will also support the recovery of livelihoods and provide multipurpose cash assistance to help families. This new funding complements the Genocide Recovery and Persecution Response program Vice President Pence announced at the July 2018 Ministerial. This new humanitarian funding brings the total U.S. assistance for persecuted ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq since Fiscal Year 2017 to nearly $373 million.
• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Comunità di Sant'Egidio: On Monday, July 15, 2019, Administrator Mark Green met with Sant'Egidio's Head of International Relations, Dr. Mauro Garofalo, to sign an MOU. The agreement draws on both organizations' long history of convening religious actors and faith-based organizations to focus attention on the vital needs of the poor, and providing development and humanitarian assistance.
• Training in International Religious Freedom for USAID's Foreign Service Officers: In response to the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act this fall, USAID will launch mandatory training on international religious freedom for all of the Agency's Foreign Service Officers.