The below is attributable to Acting Spokesperson Pooja Jhunjhunwala:
Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power met with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi to discuss how USAID and UNHCR can better work together to ensure that refugees can participate fully in the economy and society of host countries.
During their meeting, Administrator Power expressed grave concern about the humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where ongoing conflict has left 5.2 million people out of 6 million—or approximately 90% of the population—in need of assistance. Administrator Power also welcomed High Commissioner Grandi’s efforts to scale up UNHCR’s regional response for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, where humanitarian needs, corruption, and violence continue to fuel migration. In addition, Administrator Power urged High Commissioner Grandi to be a strong advocate for the renewal and expansion of the UN’s mandate to provide cross-border assistance into Syria.