UN aid agencies have started cutting back their global aid operations following the 90-day suspension of all foreign assistance ordered by the Trump administration, The Guardian reports.
Filippo Grandi, the head of the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, responsible for providing life-saving assistance to the 122 million people forcibly displaced from their homes across 136 countries, sent out an overnight email to employees ordering an immediate clampdown on expenditure, including a 90-day delay in ordering new supplies except for emergencies, a hiring and contract freeze, and a halt to all international air travel, as the agency tries to adapt to the US funding freeze, the report said.
Grandi said the majority of UN agencies and other international aid organisations have been affected. Around the world, humanitarian assistance programmes have been forced to fire staff and slow down operations following the unprecedented US funding suspension ordered by Trump, pending a review of all aid programmes. Only emergency food programs and military aid to allies Israel and Egypt have been exempt.
In his all-staff email, according to The Guardian report, Grandi said: “We must proceed very carefully over the next few weeks to mitigate the impact of this funding uncertainty on refugees and displaced people, on our operations and on our teams.”
“These steps will help us manage resources while we navigate this challenging period,” he added. “What is clear is that more than ever, we must continue to demonstrate the impact and efficiency of our work.”