PARIS: US President Donald Trump’s order to suspend most foreign aid has sent waves of trauma in the field of human sympathy, making many NGOs widespread rid of and potentially others There is a risk of completely destroying.
Less than a week after returning to power, the US Agency for International Development told NGOs that they would have to stop the operation immediately as the new administration had frozen the USAID budget.
The US president has ordered a 90 -day review of USAID, which runs health and emergency programs in around 120 countries, including the poorest people in the world.
However, the Trump administration has issued an exemption for some “life -saving” aid, while there is also an exception to financing for frozen Israel and Egypt.
USAID has arranged the budget of.8 42.8bn under half of all aid worldwide
But the confusion is ruled by how these little ones will be implemented and uncertainty has already taken advantage of it.
A Kenyan NGO source said the order was “barely” hit by an order to stop the work immediately.
He called for anonymity to be anonymous that his charity could be punished by the Trump administration.
The rescue worker said of the frozen, “He threw people in a panic,” pointing out that the lack of notice meant that the staff did not have time to compromise.
He said he was immediately put on leave on leave and the organization could no longer pay its fares or salaries.
“What does it mean for those who have children?” He asked in surprise.
It is impossible to compensate
According to the ED Network, more than 630,000 people were working in the rescue sector in 2020, more than 90 % of them local staff.
For many locals, the United States freezes unemployment in countries with fragile economies where another job search is almost impossible.
Immigrants working for relief agencies also face obstruction.
“We informed everyone on the US budget that they have been temporarily suspended,” said a source at an NGO’s European headquarters.
He said on condition of anonymity, the result of immigrants is that “they put you in the plane and you should return home”.
Except that he added, “You do not have to have a house” because many Expatte Aid Workers go to missions with the mission, there is no home foundation in their original country.
The USAID manages a $ 42.8 billion budget, which represents 42 % of humanitarian aid worldwide.
Non -governmental organizations “will have to leave employees in proportion to dependence on US funds,” he said.
If an NGO depends on USAID 60 %, it will have to leave 60 % of its employees. If it depends 40 %, it will survive 40 %. “It would be impossible to compensate for the loss of US funds,” he said.
The Norwegian Refugee Council, one of the world’s largest aid agencies, said it suddenly suspended “immediate humanitarian sympathy” for hundreds of thousands of people affected by wars, disasters and displaced countries on Monday. Forced
Only 20 % of its financing – Million came from the United States last year – which provides significant support to 1.6 million people.
Although the initial US funding was frozen for 90 days, the administration has already begun to reduce USAID workforce, and many of the relief sector are feared to be a long -term lack of US support. – Trump and Musk have publicly pledged to shutter USAID for public.
Dawn, appeared on February 12, 2025
