NEW YORK, January 29. /TASS/. The US decision to shut down foreign aid has crippled projects worldwide, The New York Times (NYT) reported.
Aid organizations abroad are beginning to terminate or furlough their employees, the newspaper wrote on Tuesday. In the United States alone, tens of thousands of employees, many living in the Washington area and holding contracts with US agencies, could be laid off, according to the report.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued an order to suspend almost all programs funded by the annual $70 billion aid budget approved by Congress. In a cable sent to global US missions, the US top diplomat stated that the pause would last at least 90 days. Additionally, The New York Times wrote on Tuesday that Rubio issued a memo under which "life-saving humanitarian assistance," including medicines, medical services, food, and shelter, could be temporarily exempted, with missions able to request additional waivers.
According to The New York Times, the new suspension measures will apply to military aid to Ukraine, Jordan, and Taiwan, while military assistance to Israel and Egypt will continue. Decisions on whether to continue, adjust, or stop US funding of foreign aid will be made following a review by the Department of State.