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Widespread confusion and uncertainty continue to ripple through the development sector following the U.S. government’s stop-work order on foreign aid programs. The directive has already resulted in mass layoffs this week, particularly among contractors and implementing partners reliant on USAID funding, while nearly 60 senior USAID officials have been placed on administrative leave.
The U.S. State Department issued a waiver Wednesday for “life-saving humanitarian assistance,” but ambiguity remains over which programs qualify. It is still unclear what this specifically applies to and whether it includes initiatives such as PEPFAR, which provides lifesaving antiretrovirals for millions of people living with HIV/AIDS.
In this episode of the This week in global development podcast, Devex Business Editor David Ainsworth is joined by Devex Senior Reporters Adva Saldinger and Sara Jerving for the latest updates on this rapidly evolving situation and to discuss what the long-term implications for U.S. foreign aid infrastructure could be.
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About the author
Naomi Mihara
Naomi Mihara is an Associate Editor for Devex, working on creative and audiovisual projects. She has a background in journalism and international development, having previously served as an assistant correspondent for Japanese newspaper The Yomiuri Shimbun and as a communications officer for the International Organization for Migration in Southeast Asia. She holds a master’s degree in Multimedia Journalism from Bournemouth University.
