Dissolution of USAID May Cause Irreparable Damage To Global Humanitarianism
Description
The Trump administration and billionaire ally Elon Musk moved to eradicate the agency that provides crucial aid that funds education and fights starvation, epidemic and poverty overseas, sparking a showdown with congressional Democrats who blasted the effort as illegal and vowed a court fight -WASHINGTON (AP).
An executive order two weeks ago has culminated in the apparent dissolution of USAID, the United States’ official humanitarian aid agency. The generally independent agency has seen mass firings, layoffs, and furloughs, is apparently being wound down by the current administration. Hundreds of USAID employees and thousands of contractors suspect they will be out of a job. Even if the agency is absorbed into the State Department (a legally dubious but likely outcome), its existence will never be the same.
USAID is the largest international development / humanitarian donor on the planet, as the main distributer for U.S. foreign assistance. USAID distributed $40 billion in aid to more than 160 countries in FY 2023. USAID implements aid directly but also via implementation partners, including hundreds of NGOs across the globe. The United Nations system is also highly reliant on USAID funding. In FY 2022 USAID provided over $20 billion the United Nations and other international organizations, including the World Food Programme (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as well as the United Nations Human Rights apparatus (OHCHR).
- USAID is dissolving is what will cause such immense damage. Like ripping an I.V. out of a patient who still needs it, USAID funding serves as a lifeline for critical programs and NGOs that feed, inoculate, and protect communities across the globe. Suddenly having that source of support ripped away may be devastating.
- The world’s ability to fight deadly diseases, respond to famine, move towards sustainability, help improve hygiene, and survive and rebuild after war — have all likely been irreparably damaged. Time will tell the true extent of the impact.
- The administration’s effort to dissolve the agency was symbolically confirmed by the take-down of USAID.gov, the agency’s official website.
- With the deletion of USAID.gov, the international development sector has lost likely terabytes of data, reports, analysis, and archival documentation of the agency’s near 60-year history.