The United States says it is offering $180 million to help feed millions of people facing starvation in South Sudan.

It says the money will help aid agencies respond to the worsening humanitarian situation in the country.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the fighting that broke out in December last year; with others seeking refuge in the neighboring countries, mostly Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia.

Aid agencies say that the humanitarian situation in the country has deteriorated and the threat of famine is real. The UN has described South Sudan’s food crisis as being among the worst in the world.

The U.S ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power this morning said that the U.S government is very concerned about the looming famine in South Sudan.

“As you know South Sudanese people and the United States have a very long standing deep friendship,” she said.

“This is the first time the US has offered asuch a huge amount of money to South Sudanese.

In 2008, it gave the government of South Sudan about millions of dollars to combat starvation in the then region.