Secretary of state Rubio widens exemption for US aid after freeze – World

The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, expanded on Tuesday the exemptions in a freezing of foreign assistance, saying that the United States would continue to finance humanitarian articles such as refuge and medicine.

President Donald Trump, in the return position last week, ordered a 90 -day break to review the assistance of the United States, the largest donor in the world in terms of dollars.

Rubio continued to freeze virtually all funds, although he specified exemptions for emergency foods, as well as military assistance to Israel and Egypt.

In a follow -up memorandum on Tuesday after a protest of help groups, Rubio clarified that another “humanitarian assistance” in addition to food would also be exempt during the review period.

Humanitarian assistance was defined as “central medicine to save lives, medical services, food, refuge and subsistence assistance,” Rubio wrote in the memorandum, whose content was confirmed AFP.

Trump’s movement is also affecting ongoing projects in Pakistan. While statistics by 2024 are not yet available, USAID and other agencies financed numerous projects in Pakistan.

The suspension impacts five energy projects, four economic growth initiatives, five agricultural programs and several others in education and health in Pakistan.

In addition, funds for democracy, human rights and governance have been waiting for a review, according to a Sunrise report.

One of the affected projects had received $ 16 million for early recovery, risk reduction and resilience (ER4) activities, focusing on strengthening the resistance of populations vulnerable to disasters induced by natural hazards.

“It is not specific to Pakistan. It is an executive order that affects all nations, except Egypt and Israel, ”said a high -ranking Pakistani diplomat, and added that a suspension order implied that assistance could be resumed after a review.

The spokeswoman of the State Department, Tammy Bruce, writing in X, said: “Urgent needs are being met.”

“The general exemptions are in their place for emergency foods and another emergency humanitarian assistance. And there is an exemption process for articles not covered by pre -existing exemptions, ”he wrote.

Bruce said the objective was to get rid of “atrocious” financing and programs that were not in line with the priorities of the Trump administration.

He partially pointed to efforts related to assistance on climate change and gender.

“The mandate of the American people was clear, we must re -make ourselves about US national interests,” he said.

Help groups and Democratic legislators have expressed alarm for the potentially powerful consequences of freezing.

The last exemption would seem to be approved for funds for medicines under Pepfar, an important US program against HIV/AIDS.

Established in 2003 under former President George W. Bush, he is attributed to Pepfar to save about 26 million lives.

Speaking before the last exemption, One, the help defense group co -founded by Irish singer Bono, expressed hope for exemptions, but warned that “bureaucratic bureaucracy” could still affect Pepfar’s financing.

“Our adversaries will capitalize on this gap in the leadership of the United States and promote the misinformation that will undermine confidence in the United States and damage our reputation worldwide,” said Elizabeth Hoffman, executive director of North America in one.



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