Today I announce the Australian Government will provide further assistance in response to widespread and devastating hunger and cholera in Yemen, South Sudan and Somalia.

The Government will contribute $30 million in humanitarian assistance for people in these countries who are facing the risk of famine due to conflict and drought.

In South Sudan and Somalia, millions have been forced to flee their homes and more than 13 million people require assistance. Australia is providing $20 million to support international relief efforts in the two countries.

Our assistance will help deliver life-saving food to 50,000 people and deliver clean water and protection services to the most vulnerable, including medical and psychological support for survivors of sexual violence.

This will bring our contribution to the international response to conflict, drought and famine in South Sudan and Somalia to around $64 million in 2017.

In Yemen, 17 million people do not have access to sufficient food, including seven million who are at risk of famine. Over 500,000 people are affected by what the World Health Organization has described as the world’s worst cholera outbreak, with children representing over 40 per cent of those impacted.

Australia is providing $10 million to enable humanitarian agencies in Yemen to deliver food to people in need and to combat cholera, including by supporting 30,000 people to access clean water. This will bring our humanitarian funding for the crisis in Yemen to $20 million in 2017.

We continue to urge all those involved in the conflict in Yemen to return to negotiations towards a permanent solution to the conflict and allow humanitarian agencies to access populations in need.

Australia’s support to South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen will be provided through the World Food Programme, UNICEF, Australian non-government organisations and the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.