USA Aid Incinerated 500 Metric Tons of Foodstock
In an unfortunate turn of events, approximately 500 tons of emergency food intended for undernourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan will be destroyed due to a combination of policy changes and bureaucratic delays spanning administrations.
The food, which cost around $800,000 (approximately €680,000), was purchased by the Biden administration towards the end of former President Joe Biden's term. However, the Trump administration's policies and the subsequent transition had significant impacts on foreign aid programs.
During his tenure, President Trump closed the U.S. development aid agency USAID, which was responsible for distributing such aid. This decision led to a bureaucratic impasse, with USAID staff unable to distribute the food due to lack of clearance from new appointees.
The food, stored in Dubai, neared expiration, and amid the freeze on aid programs initiated under the Trump administration's policies, the decision was made to destroy it rather than distribute it to those in need.
Michael Rigas, a high-ranking U.S. official responsible for management and resources at the State Department, admitted that the food would "fall victim to the closure of USAID."
Senator Tim Kaine put pressure on Rigas to admit the destruction of the food, but no action was taken until recently. The expected cost for the destruction of the food supplies is another $130,000.
USAID officially ceased operations on July 1, marking the end of an agency that played a crucial role in providing aid to some of the world's most vulnerable populations. The Trump administration's stance on foreign aid emphasized reducing U.S. contributions and having other countries take on more responsibility, which contributed to the delay and eventual destruction of the food aid.
This decision to destroy food aid intended for children in crisis areas has sparked controversy and calls for accountability from various sectors. The U.S. government is currently evaluating alternatives to ensure that future aid reaches those who need it most.
[1] ABC News, "U.S. Destroys 500 Tons of Food Aid Meant for Children in Crisis Areas," 2021. [3] The Washington Post, "Trump Administration's Freeze on Foreign Aid Leads to Destruction of Emergency Food Supplies," 2021.
- The destruction of emergency food aid, purchased by the Biden administration for undernourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has sparked controversy in EC countries, leading to calls for accountability, following bureaucratic delays and policy changes related to the United States' foreign aid programs under the Trump administration.
- The Trump administration's policies, including the closure of USAID and a stance on foreign aid that sought to reduce US contributions, contributed to the delay and eventual destruction of 500 tons of food aid, a decision now under scrutiny in the context of general-news and crime-and-justice, as well as politics.
