Trump administration freezes new funding for anti-HIV programme and different well being providers, excepts key meals programmes.
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has introduced a freeze on nearly all new funding for overseas help programmes, with exceptions for allies Israel and Egypt.
The order from the US State Division on Friday additionally contains exceptions for emergency meals programmes, however not well being programmes that supporters say present important, life-saving providers.
In an accompanying memo, newly confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio directed senior officers to “be sure that, to the utmost extent permitted by legislation, no new obligations shall be made for overseas help”.
Humanitarian organisations instantly expressed alarm on the directive, voicing fears that it might contribute to world instability and lack of life.
“By suspending overseas growth help, the Trump administration is threatening the lives and futures of communities in disaster, and abandoning the USA’ long-held bipartisan strategy to overseas help which helps folks based mostly on want, no matter politics,” Abby Maxman, head of Oxfam America, stated in an announcement.
The momentary freeze is slated to final for a interval of at the least three months. Within the first 85 days, Rubio is anticipated to make “selections whether or not to proceed, modify, or terminate applications”, in line with the memo.
Among the many well being programmes anticipated to expertise a funding freeze is the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Aid, also called PEPFAR.
Established in 2003 beneath the administration of George W Bush, PEPFAR loved broad bipartisan help for 20 years, till Congress missed a deadline to resume its funding in 2023. Its funding obtained a one-year extension by March 2025, however that’s set to run out inside the three-month window.
Consultants estimate that PEPFAR has helped save as many as 25 million lives because it was first began.
Left untouched by the freeze is help for Israel and Egypt, two of the most important recipients of US army help.
Each nations have confronted scrutiny over their human rights data and calls to leverage US help in trade for substantial reforms.
Friday’s memo made particular point out of waivers for “overseas army financing for Israel and Egypt and administrative bills, together with salaries, essential to administer overseas army financing”.
There was no indication of the same exemption for Ukraine, which largely depends on US weapons help in its combat to repel a Russian full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.
The US spent greater than $60bn in overseas help in 2023, greater than another nation general.
However that sum accounts for about 1 p.c of US authorities spending. Within the aftermath of Friday’s memo, some help tasks all over the world acquired work-stop orders.
“That is lunacy,” stated Jeremy Konyndyk, a former official for the US Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID).
He shared with the Reuters information company his outrage. “This can kill folks. I imply, if carried out as written in that cable … lots of people will die.”
