By Staff Reporter
THE U.S. Embassy has announced that it is reviewing all funds allocated to Zimbabwe through the State Department and USAID, in line with President Donald Trump’s America First policy.
Trump recently announced a series of changes to America’s funding model, emphasizing the “reasonable use of taxpayers’ money” and prioritizing the nation’s development.
The policy halted millions of U.S. dollars in funding for local civil society organizations (CSOs) and billions globally.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy announced that funding will now be reassessed in accordance with its foreign policy.
“The US Embassy in Zimbabwe has paused its foreign assistance and is reviewing its programs to bring them in line with this Executive Order and the waiver.
“The United States is proud of the gains we have helped Zimbabwe make in health, food security, and development.
“Today, 1.2 million Zimbabweans live longer, healthier lives because of PEPFAR’s support for HIS services.
“Over 1600 public hospitals and clinics have benefited from training and technical support from the United States.”
As a key contributor to Zimbabwe’s health and education sectors, the U.S. plays a crucial role in their development, raising concerns that funding cuts could lead to their collapse.
A waiver was later announced on health-related funding as most of Africa’s poorly resourced health systems threatened to crumble.
“The review of all foreign assistance programs will ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda,” reads the statement.
Meanwhile, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) provides close to $90 million annually to support healthcare worker salaries and incentives in Zimbabwe.
It also funds HIV and viral load testing, prevention programs, cervical cancer screening, and tuberculosis treatment.
More than half a million people impacted by the recent El Niño-induced drought have also received support through this funding.
“More than 500,000 Zimbabweans have benefited from U.S. humanitarian assistance during the El Nino-induced drought.” the statement added.
