The Trump administration's sweeping changes to U.S. foreign aid have resulted in a 90-day freeze on humanitarian funding, program shutdowns worldwide, and thousands of job losses. The impact extends to Canadian organizations like Besa Global, which abruptly lost funding for a vital anti-corruption project in Uganda.
The Trump administration's efforts to revamp U.S. foreign aid have triggered a 90-day freeze on humanitarian funding , leading to the suspension of programs worldwide and the layoff or furlough of thousands of staff and contractors. The ramifications extend beyond international borders, impacting organizations and individuals in the United States. Cheyanne Scharbatke-Church, the executive director of Calgary-based Besa Global , an anti-corruption organization, experienced this firsthand.
While in Kampala, Uganda, to launch a project combating corruption in healthcare and policing, she received an email instructing her to halt all work and vacate the country immediately. The email cited a funding halt and explained that reimbursements for her stay would no longer be provided. This abrupt change left Scharbatke-Church scrambling to cancel meetings and book a flight back to Canada.Besa Global had secured a grant from USAID, the world's largest aid agency, to fund a significant portion of the Kampala project. After a year of effort, they received the news of their grant success in November. The sudden termination of funding came as a devastating blow, particularly as Besa Global had already hired staff in Uganda. The work stoppage now leaves these employees uncertain about their future. Scharbatke-Church emphasized the precarious economic situation in Uganda, where unemployment is high and basic services are inadequate. She criticized the timing and manner of the funding freeze, faulting the administration for issuing the notice on a Friday night, impacting those working across time zones. She highlighted the broken contracts and agreements made based on what they believed to be legally binding commitments. The Trump administration's approach to USAID has drawn criticism from various quarters. Elon Musk, a prominent tech billionaire and Trump ally, has labeled USAID as a 'criminal organization' and leveled accusations of misspending through his platform, X. Fahim Quadir, Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs at Queen's University, and a professor of global development studies, deemed the decision to freeze USAID funding as shortsighted. He argued that it would inevitably undermine the progress made in addressing global social development challenges. Quadir expressed his disbelief at the rationale behind the abrupt and drastic decision, emphasizing the lack of evidence-based thinking or a clear long-term strategy. He stressed that the move threatens to reverse years of advancements in poverty alleviation, education, healthcare, civil society, and gender equality, leaving vulnerable communities in a state of uncertainty and despair
USAID Foreign Aid Trump Administration Humanitarian Funding Job Losses Besa Global Uganda Corruption Global Development
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