WASHINGTON, DC (April 24, 2017) – CARE is deeply concerned by today’s Foreign Policy magazine report that the Trump Administration’s full budget release will include ending U.S. development assistance in numerous countries, as well as drastically reducing funding for global health. If the U.S. ends its investments in the development of communities around the world and the fight against disease and health crises that affect us all, the results will be devastating — and in some cases deadly — for millions of people. And it will negatively impact other American interests around the globe. The potential closures of regional missions at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and up to 35 country missions, is extremely troubling and would represent a misguided approach that weakens U.S. leadership around the world.
The proposed USAID budget document published today reveals little in savings, but will have a devastating impact on millions of lives. By ending or severely cutting development and global health programs, including those that were recently codified in the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), this will put women, smallholder farmers and children at the mercy of hunger, just as famine conditions are simultaneously threatening 20 million people in South Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia. Additionally, important work related to addressing and expanding economic opportunities, education and political engagement for women around the world is also under threat. CARE’s experience has shown that proper oversight and monitoring and evaluation of programs is critical to ensuring that aid is reaching those who need it most; yet these efforts would also be defunded in the President’s FY18 budget request.
“Without a more balanced use of development, diplomacy and defense, global crises become chronic, deep-seeded and ultimately more expensive for us,” said David Ray, vice president of policy and advocacy at CARE. “As a result, lives will be lost, our credibility tarnished and our leadership diminished. Slashing USAID’s ability to respond to world events and needs would be a historic mistake. It will weaken our national security and endanger significant global health and development successes that have been achieved over the past several decades.”
CARE calls on Congress to conduct deep oversight on the planned cuts to USAID to ensure that American interests in the world are upheld, including our effective investments in combating poverty and global health threats. For decades, USAID has helped save lives, empower women and girls to lift themselves out of poverty and serve as a beacon of American leadership and stability in the poorest communities around the world. CARE has partnered with USAID for over six decades to implement programs in more than 80 countries and across sectors, including humanitarian assistance, food and nutrition security, health, economic development, governance, gender, climate change and water.
About CARE:
Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE places special focus on working alongside poor girls and women because, equipped with the proper resources, they have the power to lift whole families and entire communities out of poverty. Last year, CARE worked in 94 countries and reached more than 80 million people around the world. To learn more, please visit www.care.org.
Media Contact:
Nicole Ellis, +1-202-595-2828, nicole.ellis@care.org