Source: European Parliament
The Commission has taken note of the executive orders of the Trump administration to terminate 83% of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) programmes.
The impact will be immediate and felt globally with wide ranging consequences on people’s lives and on global stability and security.
The EU continues monitoring and assessing the overall impact and possible areas where intervention may be needed, with particular emphasis on key EU interests and life-saving humanitarian assistance.
Together with Member States, the EU already provides 42% of development aid and 28% of humanitarian aid globally and remains fully committed to the affected regions. However, the EU will not be able to fill in the gap left by the United States’ decision.
It is not common practice for the EU to co-finance actions together with USAID. However, the EU has engaged in regular exchange of information and coordination at local level, notably through donor coordination frameworks in areas of common interest (support to democracy, civil society, media, etc.) in the Western Balkans.
With regards to the impact of USAID funding to Cyprus[1], the USAID programme was the main assistance provided for bicommunal activities until 2006 when the EU Aid Programme for the Turkish Cypriot community[2] was launched and USAID withdrew.
The Commission did not formally evaluate USAID funding to Cyprus.
- [1] Among other things, USAID helped civil society organisations from both communities cooperate (until 2003, there were no crossing points in Cyprus), supported bicommunal activities, restored buildings in old Nicosia and formalised the bicommunal Nicosia Master Plan for the divided city, which the two Cypriot leaders had developed.
- [2] Council Regulation (EC) No 389/2006 of 27 February 2006.