Key points
- Afghanistan has received $53.1 billion from the US between 2014 and 2024
- USAID has been a top target of a government reduction programme
- Elon Musk is spearheading the programme
ISLAMABAD: The Trump administration said Wednesday it is eliminating more than 90 per cent of the US Agency for International Development’s foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall US assistance around the world, putting numbers on its plans to eliminate the majority of US development and humanitarian help abroad, according to AP.
The US administration’s 90-day foreign aid freeze has left a huge hole in funding worldwide for everything from HIV medicines to mosquito nets, but as calls go out for alternative donors to plug the gap, Europe is ill-placed to step up, according to Reuters.
The United States (US) Agency for International Development, Washington’s primary humanitarian aid agency, has been a top target of a government reduction program spearheaded by billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, according to Reuters.
Top target
The US Agency for International Development, Washington’s primary humanitarian aid agency, has been a top target of a government reduction programme spearheaded by billionaire and Trump ally Elon Musk since President Donald Trump took office on January 20, according to Reuters.
Hours after he was sworn in, Trump ordered a 90-day pause to all US foreign assistance pending assessments of efficiencies and consistency with his foreign policy. Four days later, on January 24, the US State Department issued a “stop-work” order for all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid with the exception of waivers for military financing for Israel and Egypt.
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While the government gave an exemption for emergency food assistance and issued waivers for certain life-saving aid, uncertainty around most other programmes has put thousands of jobs and millions of dollars’ worth of aid material in jeopardy.
The effects of shutting foreign aid down permanently could have impacts globally, especially for countries in Africa and the Middle East. The US has contributed the largest foreign assistance among countries, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Peace and security
According to Reuters, peace and security was the top sector for US foreign assistance in the Asia and Oceania region
Afghanistan has received $53.1 billion from the US, the highest for any country between 2014 and 2024. The majority of its aid was disbursed for the Stabilization Operations and Security Sector Reform program. It has also received significant assistance towards the Economic Development sector and Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance sector.
The United States’ assistance to Afghanistan significantly reduced over the years. Between 2014 and 2019, it disbursed $810 million on average every year. However, after it decided to pull out its troops from the country in early 2020, its aid has significantly reduced. Between 2020 and 2024, it disbursed $217 million on average every year.
Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Philippines were the other major beneficiaries in the region.
