The assistance would address food insecurity and other urgent needs of refugees, internally displaced persons and affected communities in 31 African countries, a statement from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) added.

“Today, I’m announcing over US$1 billion of new humanitarian support for Africans displaced from homes by historic droughts,” Biden said in an address in the Angolan capital Luanda, where he arrived late on Monday for his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as president.

Several countries in southern African are experiencing a drought that according to some estimates is the worst in the region in a century, causing major losses of crops and livestock.

“Armed conflict, extreme weather events, natural disasters, and other emergencies are driving humanitarian needs across the continent and requiring humanitarian assistance to save lives and alleviate suffering among the most vulnerable,” the USAID statement said.

“Today’s announcement, yet again, demonstrates our firm commitment to stand alongside our African partners and people across the continent in addressing the challenge of food insecurity,” it said.

According to the UN, one in five Africans – almost 300 million people – faced hunger in 2023, and the number of people facing acute food insecurity and malnutrition continues to rise, it said.

The US in the 2024 fiscal year provided nearly US$6.6 billion in humanitarian aid across sub-Saharan Africa, according to USAID.