RASC News Agency: Reuters has reported that the United States, acting on President Donald Trump’s directive to reassess the suspension of foreign aid, has issued an immediate “cease-work” order on all ongoing foreign assistance. This decision, announced by the U.S. State Department on Friday, January 24, underscores a major policy shift in the nation’s approach to international development. According to Reuters, a telegram drafted by the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio exempts only military aid to Israel and Egypt. Notably, no exemptions have been granted to other nations, including Afghanistan, which has historically depended on U.S. humanitarian aid.
This suspension threatens to cut billions of dollars in life-saving assistance for vulnerable populations, particularly Afghanistani citizens grappling with severe poverty and hunger. As the largest global donor, the United States allocated approximately $72 billion in foreign aid to impoverished and crisis-hit nations during the 2023 fiscal year. The development follows President Trump’s recent executive order, issued shortly after his inauguration, mandating a 90-day review of U.S. foreign development aid. The review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and alignment of these programs with Trump’s foreign policy agenda. While the order’s scope remains ambiguous, its immediate ramifications are already causing concern. Notably, the State Department has deprioritized refugee resettlement programs, including initiatives aimed at resettling Afghanistani nationals who collaborated with U.S. forces over the past two decades.
In the directive, which took effect immediately, senior officials were instructed to “ensure, to the extent permitted by law, that no new foreign aid commitments are made” until Secretary Rubio concludes the ongoing review process. Jeremy Konyndyk, a former senior official at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and current president of the International Refugee Organization, has sharply criticized the move. “This decision is utterly reckless. Lives will be lost. If executed as outlined in the telegram, it will result in countless deaths among the most vulnerable,” Konyndyk warned.
The decision has sparked widespread concern, with critics arguing that it undermines humanitarian principles and places millions at risk, particularly in regions like Afghanistan, where international aid is a critical lifeline.
