The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe has temporarily suspended its foreign assistance programmes and is currently reviewing them to ensure they align with President Trump’s Executive Order and a subsequent waiver issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
On January 20, President Trump signed an Executive Order to reevaluate and realign U.S. foreign aid. This directive paused all foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID for review, with the aim of ensuring that such programs are efficient and consistent with the “America First” foreign policy agenda.
On January 28, Rubio issued a waiver permitting U.S. government agencies, partners, and NGOs to continue or resume essential activities. These include providing core life-saving medicines, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as necessary supplies and reasonable administrative costs required to deliver such aid. Said Rubio:
<blockquote>
I have long supported foreign aid. I continue to support foreign aid. But foreign aid is not charity. It exists for the purpose of advancing the national interest of the United States. Every dollar we will spend as long as I’m Secretary of State – and as long as President Trump is in the White House is going to be a dollar that’s advancing our national interests.
I think we’ll be the most generous nation on Earth, but I think we’re going to be the most generous nation on Earth in a way that makes sense, that’s in our national interest.
</blockquote>
The U.S. Embassy expressed pride in its support to Zimbabwe, noting the significant progress made in health, food security, and development as a result of their assistance. The Embassy said:
<blockquote>
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.
More than 500,000 Zimbabweans have benefited from U.S. humanitarian assistance during the El Nino-induced drought.
Over 1600 public hospitals and clinics have benefited from training and technical support from the United States.
</blockquote>

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The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe stopped giving money to review programs. This is to make sure they follow President Trump's rules. The rules say that foreign aid should help America first. The Secretary of State is allowing some aid to keep going, like medicine and food. He says this aid should help the U.S. be generous in a way that helps America. The Embassy in Zimbabwe is happy about the help they gave. They say they have helped with health, food, and development in the country. They have helped many people, like those with HIV and in droughts.

U.S. Embassy In Zimbabwe Suspends Aid For Review

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a new waiver allowing humanitarian assistance programs to resume, despite a freeze on foreign aid.
The waiver enables the continuation of existing programs that provide essential medicines, medical services, food, shelter, and other vital assistance. Said Rubio:
<blockquote>
For the purposes of carrying out the President’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, I am approving an additional waiver of the pause under the Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid and my subsequent direction of January 24, 2025, for life-saving humanitarian assistance during the period of the review.
Implementers of existing life-saving humanitarian assistance programs should continue or resume work if they have stopped, subject to the following directions. This resumption is temporary in nature, and except by separate waiver or as required to carry out this waiver, no new contracts shall be entered into.
1.  (a) For purposes of this waiver, life-saving humanitarian assistance applies to core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and subsistence assistance, as well as supplies and reasonable administrative costs as necessary to deliver such assistance.
(b) This waiver does not apply to activities that involve abortions, family planning, conferences, administrative costs other than those covered by 1(a) above, gender or DEI ideology programs, transgender surgeries, or other non-life saving assistance.
(c) Migration and Refugee Assistance (MRA) may only be used to support activities under section 1(a) and for repatriation of third country nationals to their country of origin or safe-third-country.
2. Additional waivers or exceptions for humanitarian assistance not covered by this waiver may be sought through the Director of Foreign Assistance at the Department of State. Implementing partners and NGOs are to work through their U.S. government agency partners on such requests.
</blockquote>

The U.S. has allowed some aid programs to continue despite a freeze on foreign aid. This waiver will help provide essential items like medicine, food, and shelter to people in need. The waiver is temporary and only applies to life-saving assistance, not things like abortions or gender programs. Implementers of existing aid programs can continue their work, but no new contracts can be made. Any other humanitarian assistance not covered by the waiver must be approved by the Director of Foreign Assistance.

U.S. Eases Aid Freeze With Waiver To Resume Humanitarian Aid Programmes

The U.S. government has said President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration must take full responsibility for the health of Zimbabweans, including procuring anti-retroviral therapy and ensuring clinics are properly staffed with nurses.
Reports indicate that since Zimbabwe gained independence in 1980, the U.S. has provided over US$5 billion in humanitarian and development assistance, including more than $1 billion in the past three years alone.
The United States remains the largest provider of development and humanitarian aid, with key initiatives like the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), and the Feed the Future Hunger and Food Security Program.
However, the Trump administration recently suspended donor support globally. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is now working to strengthen its health, development, and cultural exchange programs.
In a statement released Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe confirmed that, in line with President Trump’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning U.S. Foreign Aid, Secretary Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID for review. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
Consistent with President Trump’s Executive Order on Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, Secretary Rubio has paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID for review.
He is initiating a review of all foreign assistance programs to ensure they are efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda.
At this moment, in order to do a thorough review, all programs and grants without a waiver approved by the Secretary of State using foreign assistance funding are paused.
It is time for Zimbabwe to take seriously its responsibility for the health of its people. For HIV, Zimbabwe has hit the 95/95/95 targets.
They urgently need to be focused on buying ART and getting nurses in clinics. They can do this.
</blockquote>

The U.S. government is telling Zimbabwe's leaders they need to take care of the people's health. The U.S. has given Zimbabwe a lot of money for health and other needs. They help with things like AIDS relief and food security. But now, the U.S. is stopping some of this support to review how it's being used. Zimbabwe needs to buy medicine and have enough nurses in clinics. They have made progress in fighting HIV, but there is still work to do. It's up to Zimbabwe to make sure their people stay healthy.

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