US suspends USAID: What does this mean for Lebanon and global aid programs?
Report by Theresia Rahme, English Adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) shut down, and U.S. aid is now under the control of one ministry.
After U.S. President Donald Trump set a 90-day deadline to decide the future of USAID, the new administration chose to close the agency and transfer the responsibility of providing aid to the U.S. State Department.
In short, there is no longer an independent agency handling development, educational, and humanitarian projects worldwide. Instead, aid is now tied to political decisions and a single ministry.
The remaining employees, about 900 in total, now face two options: stay on active duty to help shut down programs and transfer them to the State Department, or request administrative leave and begin searching for new jobs.
Lebanon is one of the countries that benefits from USAID assistance. So, what does the future hold for its recipients?
All aid from USAID to Lebanon has been halted. However, U.S. support for the Lebanese army will continue, considering its necessity.
The suspended aid has impacted development programs for villages and towns, as well as other humanitarian assistance. It also affects university students who have been receiving scholarships from the agency.
Some universities have announced they will not abandon their students and are exploring ways to cover part or even all of the tuition. However, nothing official or guaranteed has been confirmed yet.
What is certain is that students who were benefiting from USAID scholarships have lost all the advantages the grant provided, including housing allowances, living support, and, in some cases, health insurance and complete coverage of tuition fees.
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