WELLINGTON, May 15 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand will provide a further five million NZ dollars (3.4 million U.S. dollars) in relief assistance to pressing humanitarian crises across Africa and the Middle East, said Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee on Monday.
"An estimated 45 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance across South Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria and Yemen, of which 20 million face starvation and famine," Brownlee said.
Monday's announcement brings New Zealand's assistance to relief efforts across the four countries to more than 7 million NZ dollars since March, he said, adding that it also brings New Zealand's total assistance to the Syria regional response to 27 million NZ dollars since 2012.
"Conflict and insecurity have exacerbated drought conditions, causing widespread humanitarian need," Brownlee said.
New Zealand will provide 2 million NZ dollars to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Yemen and Nigeria, and another 2 million NZ dollars to the World Food Programme in South Sudan and Somalia.
"Not only will this provide emergency food assistance, it will also help fund food security initiatives such as school meals for children," he said.
One million NZ dollars will also be offered to support the International Committee of the Red Cross in Syria, where an estimated 13.5 million people are in need of assistance due to continuing conflict, he said.
"The aid will go towards providing household items, as well as providing healthcare to the sick and wounded," Brownlee said, adding that the funding will also be used to train female heads of households so they can start income-generating activities.
