U.S. slashes aid to Central Asian nations

By Azernews

By Kamila Aliyeva

The United States will reduce aid provided to Tajikistan through the Agency for International Development (USAID) by 47.6 percent, while Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan may lose this aid completely.

The Trump administration is preparing to cut spending on U.S. external assistance around the world, but it will increase aid to Palestinians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, according to the published draft budget of USAID for 2018, Foreign Policy magazine reported.

The draft budget, proposed by the Trump administration, involves redistributing financial assistance to developing countries as funds will be redirected to the needs of the United States, in particular, the development of national security programs.

The draft budget outlines a reduction in aid to Ukraine by 68.8 percent - from $570 to $177.8 million. Assistance to Tajikistan is proposed to be cut by 47.6 percent (to $17 million), Moldova - by 47.4 percent (to $16 million). Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, as well as Vietnam and Cuba can completely lose financial assistance. Assistance to Azerbaijan will also be reduced, according to the published document.

At the same time, it is proposed to increase aid to Iraq and Syria and raise the figure to $300 million and $150 million, respectively.

Earlier, Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said that funding for the U.S. State Department next year is planned to be cut by 28 percent while the Pentagon to be increased by 10 percent.

"What you’ll see in the State Department's budget is a reflection of the curtailment of foreign aid programs. We believe that we have defended the "core" of the diplomatic functions of the State Department," Mulvaney said.

Andrew Natsios, USAID administrator under former President George W. Bush, said that it will be the end of the technical expertise of USAID and a disaster.

“I predict we will pay the price for the poorly thought out and ill-considered organization changes that we’re making, and cuts in spending as well,” he added.

Congress would have to approve the budget, and it is not entirely clear whether the proposed reductions would pass.

The White House is expected to release a more detailed budget later this spring.