Local politics of USAID meltdown

US President Donald Trump’s decision to shut down USAID – the US aid agency which grants development assistance and civilian foreign aid – has sent shockwaves around the world. The move has already faced legal challenges with Federal Judges ordering the White House to halt the termination of employees as well as restraining the blanket funding cuts envisaged by the US Federal Government.  

The funding agency, which was established in 1961 by the former President John F. Kennedy, provides financial assistance in areas like global health, disaster relief, socioeconomic development, environmental protection, democratic governance and education.

The decision by the Trump administration reflects an extension of the political philosophy of the wider Trump movement which is conveyed by its slogan – Make America Great Again. Unlike the previous American Presidents, the incumbent’s agenda is driven extensively by domestic concerns, indicated by his trademark catchphrase: America First. Trump has a very low appetite for advancing human rights and indulging in expensive internationalism. He would be more inclined to cut down overseas aid and instead offer tax cuts from the saved public funds to energise his political base. Trump’s executive orders to withdraw the world’s richest country from the World Health Organization and UN Human Rights Council are representative of the lack of importance attached to internationalism within the overall Trumpian worldview.

The move by Trump has interestingly received the endorsement of a few nationalistic politicians in Sri Lanka. Some of those admirers like the National Freedom Front Leader Wimal Weerawansa are extremely anti-American in their political outlooks. SLPP politicians like Namal Rajapaksa and many other nationalistic political forces have been enamoured of the decision to terminate the generous US global aid mechanism. Unverified statements and assertions by various parties that NGOs and opinion makers in the island received USAID funding to make changes in the country’s political structure has played right into the hands of nationalistic political entities.

The aid agency is one of the prime donor partners associated with Sri Lanka and funds hundreds of local NGOs as well as Government programs. As per a recent article in The Sunday Times newspaper, about half of the financial assistance to NGOs and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) came from USAID last year, amounting to around Rs. 15 billion. Local CSOs that are active on issues ranging from gender rights, election monitoring, nutrition, climate change adaptation, anti-corruption, and disaster relief, would undergo significant stress due to the uncertainty surrounding financial assistance from the US. Nationalistic politicians in Sri Lanka have frequently criticised CSOs in the country for spearheading anti-national activities with foreign funding in the guise of promoting concepts like peace building and conflict resolution. Unfortunately, the conduct of certain CSO activists has also raised question marks about the manner in which funds received from donor agencies has been spent.

One particular area which has received wide attention in the press is the extent of assistance received by movements that safeguard the rights of the LGBT community in the country. The group faces severe persecution and discrimination within the Sri Lankan society. The Trump support base is extremely hostile towards initiatives that promote the interest of LGBT groups, and Trump voters have opined that homosexuality is a threat to the American society and allegedly destroys American family ethos. Similarly, cultural conservatives at home have long complained that many NGOs in Sri Lanka advance the interests of homosexual groups with funding from Western countries. Such groups perceive homosexuality as an activity which is harmful while posing threats to the traditional culture of the Sri Lankan society.

Due to sweeping and controversial executive orders, Trump is living up to his image as disruptor-in-chief. His persistent threats to impose tariffs and set the platform for trade wars have caused alarm worldwide. With the septuagenarian’s eccentric style of governance, the world would be in a constant state of turbulence over the next four years with ramifications across the globe.