Trump to shut down “soft power” USAID
The Trump Administration’s plan to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development or roll it into the State Dept has been lauded in Beijing and Moscow, as it could diminish U.S. global influence
Established by Congressional Statute in 1961 – agency can legally only be dismantled by Congress
Plan to retain only 294 of over 10,000 staff
AIMS
Provide assistance for strategically important countries/those in conflict
Alleviate poverty, disease and humanitarian need
Assist U.S. commercial interests by supporting economic growth

DISTRIBUTION
Billions 2023
From USAID*

Total
$42 billion
TARGETS
Economic development $18.8bn
Humanitarian $9.4bn
Health $7.2bn
Programme support $3.7bn
Democracy, human rights, governance $1.8bn
Education $1.2bn
Peace and security $0.36bn
Environment $0.01bn

TOP RECIPIENTS
Ukraine
Ethiopia
Jordan
Somalia
DRC
Afghanistan
Nigeria
Syria
Yemen
South Sudan
16.4
1.37
1.19
0.97
0.94
0.83
0.81
0.75
0.72
0.69


Eurasia Including $16.4bn to Ukraine
Western hemisphere Incl. $595m to Colombia and Venezuela – humanitarian assistance for Venezuelan refugees

Sub-Saharan Africa Incl. $4.8bn on humanitarian assistance, $4bn on health
Multiple regions $2.2bn on health programmes

N. Africa,
Mideast
East Asia
Oceania
South,
Central Asia
$17.2bn
3.7
1.9
11.4
5.5
1.8
1.1

Source: foreignassistance.gov
*Other departments have separate budgets
© GRAPHIC NEWS