The United States government has announced that it will provide $30 million to support the return of displaced families to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
US Agency for International Development (USAID) funds will support school reconstruction, provide job training, improve farming techniques, and distribute food stipends. Three United Nations agencies will implement the programs.
“People here are resilient, and with their determination and our support, we look forward to a thriving and peaceful FATA,” USAID Mission Director John Groarke said at a ceremony attended by representatives from the Government of Pakistan and UN.
USAID’s support is aligned with the FATA Secretariat’s Return and Rehabilitation Strategy, whose goal is the progressive return of all displaced residents. Approximately two million people have fled insurgency and violence in the region since 2008.
The USA has provided more than $1 billion in development assistance to the FATA since 2009, making it the largest bilateral donor to date.
