The US State Department issued a stand for all current foreign aid and temporarily suspended new aid, according to an internal memorandum sent to US officials and embassies abroad.
The leaked notification comes after the executive order issued by President Trump on Monday to stop foreign development assistance for a period of 90 days, pending a review of efficiency and consistency with his foreign policy.
The United States is the largest international donor of aid in the world, as it spent $ 68 billion in 2023 According to government numbers. It seems that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs's notification affects everything from development assistance to military aid.
It only excludes emergency food aid and military financing for Israel and Egypt. The BBC confirmed the contents of the leaked memorandum.
“No new money will be obligated with new prizes or extensions for the current prizes until each new proposed prize is reviewed or approved and approved.”
He adds that US officials “must immediately issue orders to stop the work, in line with the conditions of the relevant decision, until the time determined by the minister, after the review.”
He also orders a wide review of all foreign aid within 85 days to ensure that aid is committed to President Trump's foreign policy.
Foreign Minister Marco Rubio – the chief American diplomat – said earlier that all US spending abroad should be done only if America makes “stronger”, “safer” or “more prosperous”.
A former official at the BBC Foreign Ministry said that the notification means an “huge potential” impact on the United States's foreign aid programs.
“One can imagine, for example, that mine removal programs for humanitarian purposes all over the world are suddenly asked to stop working. This is something Very big.
“This step is very important”, saying it could witness an immediate comment of the humanitarian and developmental programs of the United States worldwide. During the review.
He said this could affect a wide range of vital development projects, including water, sanitation and shelter.
“The employees of the executing partner or (the non -governmental organization) will be able to obtain their wages, but I think actual help should stop,” said Mr. Harden.
“I passed (the suspension of aid) several times when I was the director of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but that was for this account. This is global … it's very wide,” he said.
He added: “Not only does it stop the action, but also puts an” stopping work “order in the current contracts that are already funded and the current. It is very broad.
The French News Agency reported that the freezing of financing may also affect Ukraine, which has received billions of dollars in the era of Trump Joe Biden.
It is impossible for the new administration to evaluate whether the current foreign aid obligations are “uncomfortable, effective and consistent with President Trump's foreign policy.”
Rubio issued an exemption from emergency food aid, according to the memo.
This comes amid an increase in humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip after the start of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and many other hunger crises all over the world, including Sudan.
The memorandum also stated that Rubio has so far agreed to the exemptions related to “foreign military financing for Israel and Egypt and administrative expenditures, including salaries, necessary for the foreign military financing management.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been contacted to comment.
