Latest news with #AgencyforInternationalDevelopment
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump administration to destroy nearly $10m of contraceptives for women overseas
The Trump administration has decided to destroy $9.7m worth of contraceptives rather than send them abroad to women in need. A state department spokesperson confirmed that the decision had been made – a move that will cost US taxpayers $167,000. The contraceptives are primarily long-acting, such as IUDs and birth control implants, and were almost certainly intended for women in Africa, according to two senior congressional aides, one of whom visited a warehouse in Belgium that housed the contraceptives. It is not clear to the aides whether the destruction has already been carried out, but said they had been told that it was set to occur by the end of July. 'It is unacceptable that the State Department would move forward with the destruction of more than $9m in taxpayer-funded family planning commodities purchased to support women in crisis settings, including war zones and refugee camps,' Jeanne Shaheen, a Democratic senator from New Hampshire, said in a statement. Shaheen and Brian Schatz, a Democratic senator from Hawaii, have introduced legislation to stop the destruction. 'This is a waste of US taxpayer dollars and an abdication of US global leadership in preventing unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions and maternal deaths,' added Shaheen, who in June sent a letter to the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, about the matter. Related: 'Profound alarm': US veterans agency roiled by fight over anti-discrimination provisions The department decided to destroy the contraceptives because it could not sell them to any 'eligible buyers', in part because of US laws and rules that prohibit sending US aid to organizations that provide abortion services, counsel people about the procedure or advocate for the right to it overseas, according to the state department spokesperson. Most of the contraceptives have less than 70% of their shelf life left before they expire, the spokesperson said, and rebranding and selling the contraceptives could cost several million dollars. However, the aide who visited the warehouse said that the earliest expiration date they saw on the contraceptives was 2027, and that two-thirds of the contraceptives did not have any USAID labels that would need to be rebranded. The eradication of the contraceptives is part of the Trump administration's months-long demolition of the Agency for International Development (USAID), the largest funding agency for humanitarian and development aid in the world. After the unofficial 'department of government efficiency' (Doge) erased 83% of USAID's programs, Rubio announced in June that USAID's entire international workforce would be abolished and its foreign assistance programs would be moved to the state department. The agency will be replaced by an organization called America First. In total, the funding cuts to USAID could lead to more than 14m additional deaths by 2030, according to a recent study published in the journal the Lancet. A third of those deaths could be children. 'If you have an unintended pregnancy and you end up having to seek unsafe abortion, it's quite likely that you will die,' said Sarah Shaw, the associate director of advocacy at MSI Reproductive Choices, a global family planning organization that works in nearly 40 countries. 'If you're not given the means to space or limit your births, you're putting your life at risk or your child's life at risk.' The fact that the contraceptives are going to be burned when there's so much need – it's just egregious Sarah Shaw, MSI Reproductive Choices MSI tried to purchase the contraceptives from the US government, Shaw said. But the government would only accept full price – which Shaw said the agency could not afford, given that MSI would also have to shoulder the expense of transportingthe contraceptives and the fact that they are inching closer to their expiration date, which could affect MSI's ability to distribute them. The state department spokesperson did not specifically respond to a request for comment on Shaw's allegation, but MSI does provide abortions as part of its global work, which may have led the department to rule it out as an 'eligible buyer'. In an internal survey, MSI programs in 10 countries reported that, within the next month, they expect to be out of stock or be on the brink of being out of stock of at least one contraceptive method. The countries include Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Senegal, Kenya and Sierra Leone. Shaw expects the stock to be incinerated. 'The fact that the contraceptives are going to be burned when there's so much need – it's just egregious,' she said. 'It's disgusting.' The Department of State spokesperson did not respond to a request for information on the planned method of destruction. The destruction of the contraceptives is, to Shaw, emblematic of the overall destruction of a system that once provided worldwide help to women and families. USAID funding is threaded through so much of the global supply chain of family planning aid that, without its money, the chain has come apart. In Mali, Shaw said, USAID helped pay for the gas used by the vehicles that transport contraceptives from a warehouse. Without the gas money, the vehicles were stuck – and so were the contraceptives. Related: New York county clerk rejects Texas's effort to fine doctor in abortion pill case 'I've worked in this sector for over 20 years and I've never seen anything on this scale,' Shaw said. 'The speed at which they've managed to dismantle excellent work and really great progress – I mean, it's just vanished in weeks.' Other kinds of assistance are also reportedly being wasted. This week, the Atlantic reported that almost 500 metric tons of emergency food were expiring and would be incinerated, rather than being used to feed about 1.5 million children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Meanwhile, almost 800,000 Mpox vaccines that were supposed to be sent to Africa are now unusable because they are too close to their expiration date, according to Politico. The cuts to foreign aid are slated to deepen. Early on Friday morning, Congress passed a bill to claw back roughly $8bn that had been earmarked for foreign assistance. 'It's not just about an empty shelf,' Shaw said. 'It's about unfulfilled potential. It's about a girl having to drop out of school. It's about someone having to seek an unsafe abortion and risking their lives. That's what it's really about.'
Los Angeles Times
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Liberians confused and angry after Trump's ‘condescending' praise for Boakai's ‘beautiful English'
MONROVIA, Liberia — There was confusion and anger in Liberia on Thursday after President Trump praised the English skills of President Joseph Boakai. 'Such good English,' Trump said to Boakai, with visible surprise. 'Such beautiful English.' English has been the west African nation's official language since the 1800s. But Trump did not stop there. 'Where did you learn to speak so beautifully?' he continued, as Boakai murmured a response. 'Where were you educated? Where? In Liberia?' The exchange took place during a meeting in the White House between Trump and five West African leaders on Wednesday, amid a pivot from aid to trade in the U.S. foreign policy. Liberia has had deep ties with the United States for centuries. It was first established with the aim of relocating freed slaves from the United States. Foday Massaquio, chairman of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change-Council of Patriots, said that while the remarks were typical of Trump's engagement with foreign leaders, what some saw as the condescending tone was amplified by the fact that the leaders were African. 'As a matter of fact, it also proves that the West is not taking us seriously as Africans,' he said. 'President Trump was condescending, he was very disrespectful to the African leader.' Kula Fofana, spokesperson for Boakai's office, told The Associated Press: 'I believe that as journalists, it is important to focus on the substantive discussions at the summit.' Trump's comments added to the sense of betrayal which became palpable in Liberia in recent months. Earlier this month, U.S. authorities dissolved theU.S. Agency for International Development and said it was no longer following what they called 'a charity-based foreign aid model.' That decision sent shockwaves across Liberia, where American support made up almost 2.6% of the gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development. Liberians thought they would be spared from Trump's cuts because of the countries' close relationship. Their political system is modeled on that of the U.S., along with its flag. Liberians often refer to the U.S. as their 'big brother.' Liberia was one of the first countries to receive USAID support, starting in 1961. The street signs, taxis and school buses resemble those in New York. 'In the first place, Liberia is a long standing friend of the USA, therefore Trump should have understood that we speak English as an official language,' said Moses Dennis, 37, a businessman from Monrovia. He added that Boakai did not go to Washington for 'an English speaking competition.' His views were echoed by Siokin Civicus Barsi-Giah, a leadership expert and a close associate of former President George Weah. 'Liberia is an English speaking country,' he said. 'Former slaves and slave owners decided to organize themselves to let go of many people who were in slavery in the United States of America, and they landed on these shores now called the Republic of Liberia.' For him, the exchange was 'condescending and ridiculing.' He added: 'Joseph Boakai was not praised. He was mocked by the greatest president in the world, who is leading the greatest country in the world.' Some however said that given Trump's personal style, Wednesday's remarks were meant as a praise. 'To some, the comment may carry a whiff of condescension, echoing a long-standing Western tendency to express surprise when African leaders display intellectual fluency,' said Abraham Julian Wennah the director of Research at the African Methodist Episcopal University. 'In postcolonial contexts, language has long been weaponized to question legitimacy and competence.' But if one looks at 'Trump's rhetorical style,' these remarks were 'an acknowledgment of Boakai's polish, intellect, and readiness for global engagement,' he said. Mengonfia, Pronczuk and Mcmakin write for the Associated Press.
The Hill
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Trump promises West African leaders a pivot to trade as the region reels from sweeping aid cuts
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump promised West African leaders a pivot from aid to trade during a White House meeting Wednesday as the region reels from the impact of sweeping U.S. aid cuts. Trump said he sees 'great economic potential in Africa' as the leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau boasted of their countries' natural resources and heaped praise on the U.S. president, including their thanks for his help in settling a long-running conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Trump described the nations represented at the meeting as 'all very vibrant places with very valuable land, great minerals, and great oil deposits, and wonderful people' — a definite shift from his first term, when he used a vulgar term to describe African nations. The meeting comes amid a shift in U.S. global and domestic priorities under Trump's leadership. Earlier this month, U.S. authorities dissolved theU.S. Agency for International Development and said it was no longer following what they called 'a charity-based foreign aid model' and instead would focus on partnerships with nations that show 'both the ability and willingness to help themselves.' The five nations whose leaders were meeting Trump represent a small fraction of U.S.-Africa trade, but they possess untapped natural resources. Senegal and Mauritania are important transit and origin countries when it comes to migration and along with Guinea-Bissau are struggling to contain drug trafficking, both issues of concern for the Trump administration. In their speeches, each African leader adopted a flattering tone to commend Trump for what they described as his peace efforts across the world and tried to outshine one another by listing the untapped natural resources their nations possess. 'We have a great deal of resources,' said Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, president of Mauritania, listing rare earths, as well as manganese, uranium and possibly lithium. 'We have a lot of opportunities to offer in terms of investment.' The portion of the lunch meeting that was open to the press didn't touch much on the loss of aid, which critics say will result in millions of deaths. 'We have closed the USAID group to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse,' Trump said Wednesday. 'And we're working tirelessly to forge new economic opportunities involving both the United States and many African nations.' West African countries are among the hardest hit by the dissolution of USAID. The U.S. support in Liberia amounted to 2.6% of the country's gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development. Liberian President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in a statement 'expressed optimism about the outcomes of the summit, reaffirming Liberia's commitment to regional stability, democratic governance and inclusive economic growth.' During the meeting, Trump reacted with visible surprise to Boakai's English-speaking skills, which he praised. English is the official language of Liberia, which was established in the early 1800s with the aim of relocating freed African slaves and free-born Black citizens from the United States. Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal are among 36 countries that might be included in the possible expansion of Trump's travel ban.
Los Angeles Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Trump hosts West African leaders as the region reels from U.S. aid cuts
DAKAR, Senegal — President Trump is hosting five West African leaders on Wednesday for a 'multilateral lunch' at the White House as the region reels from the impact of U.S. aid cuts. The leaders of Liberia, Senegal, Gabon, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau are expected to discuss key areas of cooperation, including economic development, security, infrastructure and democracy, according to a statement from the Liberian presidency. The White House has not provided further details. The surprise meeting comes as the Trump administration has taken radical steps it said are meant to reshape the U.S. relationship with Africa. Earlier this month, U.S. authorities dissolved theU.S. Agency for International Development, and said it was no longer following what they called 'a charity-based foreign aid model' and will instead focus on partnership with nations that show 'both the ability and willingness to help themselves.' The U.S. African Affairs senior bureau official Troy Fitrell earlier this year said that Trump administration wants to focus on eliminating trade deficits with Africa. 'Assistance involves a donor and a recipient, but commerce is an exchange between equals,' he said. Critics say that the abrupt shift will result in millions of deaths. A study published in the Lancet medical journal late last month projected that USAID's dismantling and deep funding cuts would lead to more than 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030, including 4.5 million children. West African countries are among the hardest hit by the dissolution of the USAID. The U.S. support in Liberia amounted to 2.6% of the country's gross national income, the highest percentage anywhere in the world, according to the Center for Global Development. Five nations whose leaders are meeting Trump represent a small fraction of the U.S-Africa trade, but they possess untapped natural resources. Senegal and Mauritania are important transit and origin countries when it comes to migration, and along Guinea Bissau are struggling to contain drug trafficking, both issues of concern for the Trump administration. Liberia's President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in a statement 'expressed optimism about the outcomes of the summit, reaffirming Liberia's commitment to regional stability, democratic governance, and inclusive economic growth.' Gabon, Liberia, Mauritania and Senegal are among 36 countries which might be included in the possible expansion of Trump's travel ban. Pronczuk writes for the Associated Press.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Raskin: ‘Hard to find something good to say' about Trump first 100 days
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) said it's hard to say 'something good' about the first 100 days of President Trump's second term in the White House, comparing the administration to one of a dictator. 'It's hard for me to find something good to say,' Raskin told reporters Tuesday outside the Capitol. 'Look, I believe that the autocrats and the dictators of the world are on the march, including President Xi [Jinping], including Kim Jong-Un, including [Vladimir] Putin, and I think Donald Trump should get off their team,' Raskin added, referring to the leaders of China, North Korea and Russia, respectively. He also suggested Trump has no strategic approach to tariffs but just 'pops out of his head with numbers' that have led to a 145 percent duty on imports from China, the world's second-largest economy and one of the top U.S. trading partners. 'I certainly don't want to crash our economy. I don't want to crash the stock market. I don't want to have a trade war against the whole world except for Vladimir Putin,' Raskin said. 'I'm not into destroying the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or the Department of Education, or the Agency for International Development,' he added, citing agencies Trump has pushed to close. However, the Maryland Democrat highlighted Trump's moves to restore aid to some foreign programs and a 90-day reprieve for higher tariffs on every country except for China. 'He has also backed off a number of those things, so when he did, I appreciated the fact that he was at least listening to the negative opinion of the entire world and the country about things like trade war and tariff.' Despite a drop in his approval rating, Trump has continued to assert the success of his campaign and administration. 'We're here tonight in the heartland of our nation to celebrate the most successful first 100 days of any administration in the history of our country — and that's according to many, many people. This is the best, they say, 100 day start of any president in history — and everyone is saying it,' Trump said at a rally in Michigan. 'We've just gotten started, you haven't seen anything yet, it's just kicking off,' he added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
