The United States has allocated $20.5 billion in aid to the global COVID-19 fight, including $53 million in Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development foreign assistance funding.

“The United States continues to lead the world in the fight against COVID-19,” Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said August 5 while announcing the humanitarian and economic assistance.

Of this new funding, $33 million will go toward migrant and refugee assistance, bringing the Department of State’s contribution to helping refugees, internally displaced persons, conflict victims and host communities made especially vulnerable by the pandemic to $350 million.

That funding has already partially gone to refugee communities around the world, such as $23 million of aid delivered to Syrian refugees in Lebanon. The aid was distributed by implementing partners for the COVID-19 response.

Another $20 million of the new funding will go to partner countries in Africa and Asia to address the effects of the pandemic on democracy, human rights, trade and agriculture.

To continue assisting economic growth around the world, the Department of State and USAID also announced the launch of a $10 million COVID-19 Private Sector Engagement & Partnership Fund. With these initial funds, the department will invest in programs that lessen the economic impacts of the pandemic in hard-hit countries.

“Continued U.S. efforts in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic build upon decades of American foreign assistance leadership,” Pompeo said.

Banner image: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo speaks to journalists in Washington August 5. (State Dept./Ron Przysucha)