USAID Awards Up to $300 Million to UNICEF to Improve the Lives of Mothers and Children Globally

Today, at the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers Meeting, Administrator Samantha Power announced the renewal of USAID’s long-standing and successful partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to improve the health and well-being of mothers, children, families, and communities around the world.

The five-year award of up to $300 million, subject to annual appropriations, will build on lessons learned from prior programs and continue to improve lives in areas such as health; education; water, sanitation, and hygiene; youth engagement; and child protection.

In partnership with the U.S. Government, UNICEF will strengthen local health system capacity, support the resilience of communities and countries in responding to public health emergencies and other crises, and ensure the lasting impact of USAID’s investments. To promote increased transparency and accountability, the agreement also sharpens the focus on data-driven results and strengthens monitoring and reporting of program progress.

This new award supplements the U.S. Government’s $134 million annual contributions to UNICEF, as well as USAID’s $61 million investment in 2020 in urgent work to prevent, respond to, and mitigate the secondary impacts of COVID-19.

By advancing USAID’s partnership with UNICEF through this award, the United States reaffirms its commitment to multilateral cooperation. This partnership demonstrates that the world can come together to meet global challenges. The U.S. looks forward to seeing all members of the G7, as well as other partner governments, increase and sustain support for UNICEF’s vital work at this critical time.