U.S. announces $2.5 billion in food assistance for Africa

U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken attend the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Closing Session on Promoting Food Security and Food Systems Resilience, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, in Washington, D.C., U.S. December 15, 2022. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday announced billions of dollars in additional humanitarian assistance to address acute food insecurity in Africa, which is facing a bigger and more complex food crisis than ever before.

The United States pledged an additional $2.5 billion in emergency assistance and medium- to long-term food security assistance for resilient African food systems and supply markets, the White House said in a statement.