President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday ordered the closure of a US agency that invested billions in African and other developing countries’ infrastructure in return for good governance, effectively ceding ground to China. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) will immediately exit projects around the world, from building roads to modernizing electricity grids, likely leaving the … [Read more…]
Marco Rubio announces sweeping reorganisation of US state department
The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has proposed a sweeping reorganisation of the US state department as part of what he called an effort to reform it amid criticism from the Trump White House over the execution of US diplomacy. If approved, the reorganisation would cut more than 700 positions and eliminate 132 of 734 … [Read more…]
Harvard University filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration – Here is the full complaint
Over the course of the past week, the federal government has taken several actions following Harvard’s refusal to comply with its illegal demands. Although some members of the administration have said their April 11 letter was sent by mistake, other statements and their actions suggest otherwise. Doubling down on the letter’s sweeping and intrusive demands—which … [Read more…]
EVENT – US Foreign Assistance: Lessons Learned and Future Priorities
In the wake of a dramatic upheaval in US foreign aid and trade relations, questions about what the future holds abound. This timely conversation brings together experts with diverse perspectives to explore lessons learned from decades of global development initiatives and foreign assistance programs. Our panelists will examine key areas for future US international engagement, … [Read more…]
Rubio’s firing of Marocco ignites a MAGA world meltdown
When Marco Rubio fired the man in charge of dismantling USAID, he made enemies inside the MAGA movement. Peter Marocco, the Trump administration official in charge of dismantling USAID, left a meeting at the White House last week to return to his office at the State Department. But when he arrived, Marocco could not enter … [Read more…]
USAID cuts rip through African health care systems
In Nigeria — home to 30 percent of the world’s annual 600,000 malaria deaths — clinics that once served 300 people a day in the conflict-hit Borno state have abruptly shut down, Ibrahim and other laid-off workers told AFP, following the withdrawal of American funding by President Donald Trump. MORE
USAID Cuts: New Estimates at the Country Level
The largest absolute dollar cut at the country level is $1.4 billion in Ukraine assistance. Ethiopia, the DRC, Colombia, South Africa, Palestine, Bangladesh, Kenya, Afghanistan, and Tanzania all see cuts over $200 million. Liberia sees the largest cut as a percentage of its economy, estimated at 1.6 percent of GNI. Afghanistan, Palestine, and Somalia are … [Read more…]
Trump’s Foreign Aid Cuts Are Killing Jobs for US Contractors, Too
Weeks after Donald Trump won reelection, Keith Ives held an all-staff meeting at his Denver-based company to reassure his 30 employees that their work evaluating the success of US aid projects overseas wasn’t under threat. “I enthusiastically told them, ‘I’m not worried at all — the work we do isn’t political,’” said Ives, who founded … [Read more…]
DEI executive order compliance checklist
Since his inauguration in January, President Trump has signed multiple executive orders addressing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies across the country. These actions have significant implications, including for government contractors, colleges and universities, and public companies across various industries. They also present potential increased risk of litigation and government investigations for U.S. and multinational … [Read more…]
Pete Marocco, the Trump official who oversaw dismantling of USAID leaves US state department
Pete Marocco, the Trump administration official who played a major role in dismantling the US Agency for International Development (USAID), has left the state department, a US official said on Sunday. Donald Trump’s administration has moved to fire nearly all USAID staff, as billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” has slashed funding and … [Read more…]