The suspension of US development aid for 90 days abroad ordered yesterday (20.01.2025) the Republican new president of the United States, because he wants to be reviewed to determine whether he is in line with his foreign policy and whether it is effective, according to him. “All ministries and service heads responsible for US international development aid programmes” are ordered “to cease immediately” the undertaking of new commitments and decisions for disbursement of funds, says presidential executive decree signed by the Republican a few hours after his second term in the White House began. CORVERSE It is not clear to this stage which programmes, which countries, which non-governmental organisations and which international organisations may be affected by this decision. It is also unknown whether and which programmes may be cut, given that the federal state budget should be approved by Congress. The executive decree recalls Mr Trump’s approach during his first term (2017-2021), when he sought the reduction by almost a third of the budgets of American diplomacy and international development aid, particularly funding for UN agencies and peacekeeping missions. However his plans had then encountered resistance to Congress. At the UN General Assembly in 2018, Donald Trump had protested that his country is the one who gives the most development aid than any other, yet “minimals offer anything to us”. He added then that he intended to help only those who “respect us” and “honestly, they are our friends.” Source: RES-AE
Trump: Suspends American Development Assistance abroad for 90 Days
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