US State Department allows humanitarian aid, but employees report other things
US State Department allows humanitarian aid, but employees report other things
The US-financed humanitarian aid worldwide has largely come to a standstill, report several sources compared to CNN. Despite Foreign Minister Marco Rubio's claims, this happens that the United States continues to provide life -saving humanitarian aid.
Standstill of the aid programs
Since the 90-day suspension of almost all US foreign assistants of the Trump administration is now going into the third week, thousands of USAI employees were threatened with administrative vacation or termination. Only a few hundred employees classified as "indispensable" should remain, which the authority weakens considerably. However, on Friday, a federal judge has temporarily stopped the plans of the Trump administration to send 2,200 directly employed USAID employees on vacation, and also temporarily stopped the accelerated discharge of employees from different countries.
reactions of those responsible
The aim of our efforts was always to identify programs that work, and to continue them, as well as to recognize programs that do not match our national interests and to check them, "said Rubio during a visit to the Dominican Republic. Rubio, who now acts as the reigning administrator of USAID, had previously made it clear that he had granted a comprehensive exemption for life -saving programs."If it is about the provision of food or medicine or everything that saves life and is urgent, they are not affected by the suspension. I don't know how much clear we can be," said Rubio.
allegations of inefficiency
However, several USAI employees and contractors who spoke to CNN show another picture of the situation on site. According to her, almost all programs for humanitarian aid from USAid broke. "This work has come to a standstill because there is no staff who can manage, and no employees in Washington who can answer questions from partners," said a USAI employee. "The entire humanitarian structure worldwide has literally collapsed because it was decided to stop the work of those who want to help."
financial bottlenecks
Alternatively, some non -governmental organizations that work in other countries can maintain exceptions to continue parts of their work, but this restricted activity is also disturbed, since NGOs do not have the necessary funds in order to pay the salaries of auxiliary employees. In some cases, suspension orders for the work of USAID are still in force."Our payment systems have been taken over. We can no longer pay because we have no staff," emphasizes another USAID employee. This has meant that even programs that should be excluded from the suspension had to be discontinued in crisis areas such as Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Ethiopia.
consequences for the affected population
The effects of the suspension can already be felt: the food procurement in the Tigray region was stopped in Ethiopia, and nutritional services for malnourished children and adults were also exposed, despite Rubios Approval for Lifelong Food Aids. In Syrian refugee camps, the coordination costs and services financed with US funds were frozen to protect auxiliary workers, which means that even organizations had to expose their work with other sources of financing.
Jeremy Konyndyk, President of Refugees International and former USA-official, has warned that many people who already live under difficult conditions are seriously at risk by reducing aids. "Many displaced persons and people who suffer from hunger and other crises could be damaged, if not being killed," emphasized Konyndyk.
aid organizations in the crisis
The mechanics of the system and the layoffs, and not the lack of competence of the employees, are the ones who have brought the humanitarian work to a standstill, say several auxiliary employees. The US government owes its contract company about $ 500 million of open invoices since the start of suspension of foreign financing, as reported by the Professional Services Council.
"These payments would be requested for work that has already been done, for which the contractors have already spent the money," continued the declaration. "If a partner continues without clarity about what you can do under your contract and this executive order, you take an enormous risk," warns a USAID employee.
The unclear situation has meant that many aid projects are simply stopped, which not only jeopardizes organizations' commitment, but also threatens the support of the needy population worldwide.
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