USAID officially shuts down

Washington, July 1 (IANS) The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) officially shut down on Tuesday, which was criticised by former US Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

Meanwhile, the USAID will be merged into the US State Department from Tuesday.

According to an earlier statement of the US State Department, the reorganization of the USAID involves realigning certain USAID functions with the State Department by Tuesday. Other USAID functions, which do not align with incumbent President Donald Trump's policy priorities, will be terminated.

In separate statements, Obama called the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID "a colossal mistake," while Bush quoted an AIDS relief programme, whose future remains unclear, like much of US foreign aid, as an example.

Trump had previously slammed the USAID as being run by "a bunch of radical lunatics", Xinhua news agency reported.

The remaining USAID functions, which do not align with the administration's priorities, will be discontinued, according to a statement of the State Department issued earlier this year.

"Foreign assistance done right can advance our national interests, protect our borders, and strengthen our partnerships with key allies. Unfortunately, USAID strayed from its original mission long ago," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in the statement in March.

"We are reorienting our foreign assistance programmes to align directly with what is best for the United States and our citizens," Rubio said. "We are continuing essential lifesaving programmes and making strategic investments that strengthen our partners and our own country."

A memo sent to USAID employees had informed them that all positions not required by law would be eliminated.

USAID has maintained disaster response teams despite the reorganisation, as seen in the US response to a devastating earthquake in Myanmar.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce had said earlier that USAID remains on standby to offer immediate assistance, including food and safe drinking water needed to save lives in the aftermath of a disaster.

"The United States is evaluating the need for assistance based on requests and dynamic reporting," Bruce had told a press briefing, a few months ago.

--IANS

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