"Your days of receiving little to no help from the United States government to rebuild their ancient communities are over." - Vice President Mike Pence assured Christian leaders from the Middle East while addressing a host of them at an annual solidarity dinner sponsored by the international advocacy organization In Defense of Christians on Wednesday night.
.
While giving the keynote address, Pence disclosed that President Donald Trump has ordered the State Department to enable U.S. aid funding to go directly to faith-based organizations actively supporting Christians and other religious minorities displaced by the Islamic State.
"Our fellow Christians and all who are persecuted in the Middle East should not have to rely on multinational institutions when America can help them directly. And tonight, it is my privilege to announce that President Trump has ordered the State Department to stop funding ineffective relief efforts at the United Nations. And from this day forward, America will provide support directly to persecuted communities through [the United States Aid Agency.]" - Mike Pence
The announcement comes as human rights advocates have urged the administration to make a change to a previous policy that required all U.S. humanitarian and reconstruction aid funding for Iraq to be funnelled through the United Nations.
However, reports from Christian Post state that displaced Christians and other religious minorities have not received much help to rebuild their destroyed ancient communities even though the U.S. has given more than $1 billion in humanitarian aid and hundreds of millions in reconstruction aid.
Image credit: CNBC
No comments:
Post a Comment