Latest news with #aidcut
Times
12-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Britain ‘no longer a global charity' as aid budget slashed, ministers say
The days of Britain being a 'global charity' are over, ministers will declare on Tuesday, as they outline their approach to cutting the government's multi-billion aid budget by almost 50 per cent. Baroness Chapman of Darlington, the international development minister, will tell MPs that she is having to make hard choices over which areas to axe as a result of the prime minister's decision to divert aid spending to defence. Among projects already identified for closure include some supporting gender inclusion, education and improving digital access. Aid spending is due to fall from 0.5 per cent of UK gross national income to 0.3 per cent from 2027, resulting in budget cuts of £6.1 billion in development spending. Ministers have made clear that they do not
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
US says it will reduce health aid to Zambia because medicines were stolen and sold
The United States will cut $50 million worth of aid a year to the southern African country of Zambia because of the 'systematic" theft of medicines and medical supplies the money paid for, the U.S. ambassador said Thursday. The U.S. had discovered in 2021 that medicines and supplies that were meant to be provided free to Zambians had been taken and were being sold by pharmacies across the country, U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales said at a press briefing. He said that an investigation of around 2,000 pharmacies in Zambia between 2021 and 2023 found that nearly half of them were selling medicines and products paid for by U.S. aid funds. The Zambian government had failed to do enough to address the corruption after the U.S. informed it of the theft scandal in April 2024, Gonzales said. There was no immediate government comment Thursday. The $50 million is part of $128 million the U.S. gives to Zambia a year for medicines, medical supplies and other support for its health sector. Gonzales said the cuts would affect medications for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, three critical diseases affecting Zambians. 'The United States is taking necessary steps to safeguard, and ensure the accountability of, American taxpayer funds,' Gonzales said. The action was separate to President Donald Trump 's decision to cut U.S. foreign aid across the world, Gonzales said. He said that the U.S. investigation into the theft also found that medications and supplies for Zambia paid for by the Global Fund and other international donors were also being sold in pharmacies. Gonzales said he had recommended to officials in Washington that the U.S. start cutting the aid from January next year to give Zambia time to plan new procurements of the life-saving drugs. ___
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
US cuts aid to Zambia over 'systematic' theft of medicine
The US has announced that it is cutting $50m (£37m) in aid to Zambia's health sector, due to the country's failure to address the "systematic theft" of donated drugs and medical "difficult" decision was taken after repeated warnings to the Zambian government to safeguard vital drugs meant for the country's most vulnerable patients, said US ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales."We are no longer willing to underwrite the personal enrichment of fraudsters or the corrupt when patients go without or have to buy life-saving medications that we have provided for free," he added. The Zambian government is yet to comment. The cuts are separate to the sweeping foreign aid freeze announced by President Donald Trump in January. The Zambian health sector is heavily funded by foreign donors, but there have been previous reports of widespread misappropriation and corruption involving senior health officials. 'My wife fears sex, I fear death' - impacts of the USAID freezeUS cuts send South Africa's HIV treatment 'off a cliff'The US accounts for about a third of public health spending in Zambia according to a statement from the US embassy in the US officials said they had discovered the "country-wide theft" of medical products that were intended to be distributed for free to the public but were now being sold by private than 2,000 pharmacies across Zambia were found selling donated drugs and medical supplies in a year-long investigation conducted by the US embassy."Shockingly, across these visits, 95 percent of the pharmacies that were selling the kinds of products that the United States provides, were also selling stolen goods," the statement said. Nearly half of the pharmacies visited were found selling medication and supplies donated by the US government, it said. Other pharmacies were also found selling stolen medical stocks purchased by the Zambian government, the Global Fund, and Zambia's other donor partners, it added. The US embassy said it had presented its findings and offered experts for action to stop further theft and to bring the culprits to justice in April last year but no action was taken. "I regret that to date, the government's actions have fallen drastically short of demonstrating a commitment to safeguarding US assistance and the lives we aim to save," the embassy said. Zambia's law enforcement operations have focused on "low-level actors" and have led to the arrest of "only a few mid-level officials" instead of investigating supply sources and pursuing the masterminds behind the theft of medicines, according to the US embassy. Gonzales said the US "can no longer justify to the American taxpayer continuing to provide such massive levels of assistance."He said the cuts would affect drugs to treat malaria, HIV and TB. "This is not a decision we have taken lightly," Gonzales said, shedding tears as he explained how the measure would affect Zambian patients. The aid cuts will take effect January next year to give the Zambian government time to develop alternative arrangements but he said "the decision had been made". Since the Trump administration took office, it has cut billions of dollars in global health programmes, hitting African countries including Zambia, where HIV remains a major threat especially for adolescents and young announced the aid freeze on his first day in office in January in line with his "America First" foreign policy. The aid cuts have affected health programmes across Africa, including shipments of critical medical supplies, including HIV majority of the US Agency for International Development's (USAID) programmes, which provided health and humanitarian assistance to vulnerable nations, have since been March, Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema said Trump had "slapped us on both cheeks", saying it was time for his country to strengthen its treasury to procure its own medicines. You may also be interested in: US issues warning over new Zambian cyber-security lawBitcoin in the bush - the crypto mine in remote Zambia'My son is a drug addict, please help' - the actor breaking a Zambian taboo Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
