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Canada Expresses Concerns Over USAID Shutdown amid Global Aid Challenges

Canadian officials are raising alarms regarding the recent actions taken by the Trump administration to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which they perceive as detrimental to global charities and humanitarian programs.

This week, the administration announced plans to withdraw all non-essential employees from USAID, effectively halting operations globally by the end of Friday. The agency’s website has been replaced with a notice regarding this removal, its social media platforms have been silenced, and funding for numerous projects has been frozen as President Donald Trump and his supporters criticize various USAID programs for what they term excessive spending.

According to a spokesperson for International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen, USAID collaborates with a multitude of international partners, including Canada, to address humanitarian emergencies and assist vulnerable populations worldwide.

“Canada is deeply concerned by the U.S. administration’s decision to shut down USAID,” the spokesperson conveyed. “The loss of USAID’s leadership and resources is a detrimental setback that threatens decades of achievements in combating inequality, hunger, pandemics, and oppressive regimes. The decision will significantly impact those relying on aid for food security, health care, and emergency assistance.”

The United States stands as the largest humanitarian donor globally, although it allocates less than one percent of its budget to foreign assistance, which trails behind the contributions of several European nations. Similarly, Canada also devotes less than one percent of its GDP to foreign aid.

Impact of Program Cuts

USAID is instrumental in funding projects across approximately 120 countries, focusing on critical areas such as epidemic response, education, and clean water access. However, the agency has come under scrutiny from Trump and figures like Elon Musk, particularly regarding funds directed toward diversity, inclusion, and gender equality initiatives, especially those advocating for LGBTQ2+ rights.

For over a decade, Canada has cooperated with USAID on various projects, including water management efforts in Peru and humanitarian relief in Gaza and the West Bank. Many of these initiatives are aligned with Canada’s established foreign aid priorities, which emphasize gender equality as a significant goal, as highlighted in their stated foreign aid priorities.

“Canada has made it clear that foreign aid is an investment, not merely a handout. It contributes to the safety, security, and welfare of both Canadians and global communities,” the spokesperson noted.

Acting USAID director, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has defended the agency’s suspension, asserting that foreign aid will persist following a comprehensive evaluation process focused on U.S. national interests. “This is not about ending foreign aid; it’s about restructuring it to better serve the U.S.,” Rubio remarked during a press conference in Guatemala City.

In reaction to the shutdown, Democratic lawmakers have vocalized their opposition, staging protests outside USAID’s halted Washington offices, with some denouncing the actions led by Musk as “illegal” and a “coup.”

The notification from USAID specified that essential personnel charged with core leadership and critical functions would be notified by Thursday afternoon regarding their employment status.

The potential mass dismissal of thousands of staff could jeopardize billions allocated for international projects, including vital security assistance for Ukraine and development initiatives related to education and clean water access. Notably, initiatives addressing public health, such as those recognized for their roles in combating polio and smallpox epidemics and programs like the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved millions of lives in Africa, have already ceased.

Simultaneously, rapid-response capabilities to tackle contagious diseases, including recent Ebola outbreaks in Uganda, have halted operations.

Significant delays in the distribution of critical food and medical supplies are also reported, with millions in U.S. aid currently stranded due to the abrupt agency shuttering. Lauren Ravon, executive director of Oxfam Canada, emphasized that the international aid community is scrambling to adapt to these sudden changes. Though Oxfam does not directly receive USAID funding, it partners with organizations that do.

“Every community across the globe has benefitted from USAID support, spanning health care to civil society and refugee assistance,” Ravon stated, expressing concerns that initiatives aimed at promoting women’s rights and reproductive freedoms could be adversely affected.

In response, Hussen’s office affirmed that Canada will persist with its foreign aid efforts independently of U.S. collaborations. “Our government remains committed to its international responsibilities,” it asserted. “Addressing global challenges necessitates collective action, and we will actively pursue new partnerships to foster peace, security, and prosperity globally.”

Ravon highlighted the monumental challenge of compensating for the void left by USAID, particularly as the world grapples with unprecedented humanitarian crises. “The humanitarian landscape was already overextended, and the sudden withdrawal of support has profound implications,” she warned.

Source
globalnews.ca