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Norwegian Refugee Council NGO to suspend aid work in over 20 countries due to Trump policy
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the administration would reach out to USAID to identify and designate programs that would be exempted from the stop-work orders.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) said on Monday it would suspend humanitarian work in nearly 20 countries worldwide after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a freeze on U.S. foreign aid worldwide when he took office on January 20, Reuters reported.
The non-governmental organisation received just under 20% of its funding from the United States in 2024, or around $150 million, it said, with that funding helping some 1.6 million people worldwide.
“We have, in our 79-year history, never experienced such an abrupt discontinuation of aid funding from any of our many donor nations, inter-governmental organisations, or private donor agencies,” the NRC said in a statement.
The agency said the consequences of suspending aid would become increasingly serious for people facing crises around the world.
Already in Ukraine, NRC said, it had to halt the scheduled February distribution of emergency support to 57,000 people in communities along the front lines and had to lay off staff worldwide.
The Trump administration said last Monday it would put on leave all directly hired employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) globally and recall thousands of personnel working overseas, read the report.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday that the administration would reach out to USAID to identify and designate programs that would be exempted from the stop-work orders.
However, the NRC said it was unable to take advantage of the temporary waiver unless the U.S. government resumed payments to its partners for work completed before the foreign assistance pause.
“We currently have millions of dollars in outstanding payment requests to the U.S. government. Without an immediate solution we may, at the end of February, be forced to halt U.S.-funded lifesaving humanitarian programmes,” it said.
That included supplying clean water to 300,000 people trapped in the blockaded city of Djibo in Burkina Faso, and cutting funding to nearly 500 bakeries in Darfur, Sudan, which provide food hundreds of thousands of people, the NRC said.
Amir Khan Muttaqi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, met with Mohammad Nasser Mohammad Al-Sayer, CEO of Kuwait’s Al-Sayer Group.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate, the meeting focused on Afghanistan’s current situation, security, stability, as well as opportunities in trade and investment.
Muttaqi described relations between Kuwait and Afghanistan as historical and positive, expressing hope for further expansion of comprehensive ties between the two countries.
Nasser Al-Sayer, expressing his satisfaction with his visit to Afghanistan, said he wanted to establish trade relations with Afghanistan in the future.
He added that his company plans to export fresh and dried fruits from Afghanistan to Kuwait and other markets.
The two sides also emphasized expanding economic and trade relations, strengthening joint cooperation, facilitating travel, and making effective use of investment opportunities available in Afghanistan.
The German government deported 30 Afghan nationals to Kabul on Tuesday on a charter flight from Leipzig Airport.
The German newspaper Bild reported that the migrants were transferred from Leipzig Airport to Kabul this morning.
This is the second group deportation of Afghan nationals since Berlin changed its policy regarding the return of Afghan asylum seekers.
Germany has expanded the deportation of Afghan nationals in recent months. In addition to people with criminal records, asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected are also now at risk of deportation.
Previously, 31 Afghan asylum seekers were transferred from Germany to Kabul on a charter flight.
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Indonesia reaffirms support for Afghanistan’s reintegration into global community
Qais Barakzai, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Jakarta, welcomed Indonesia’s approach, saying Afghanistan appreciates the country’s constructive engagement.
Indonesia says it will continue supporting Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community through constructive engagement.
Anis Matta, Indonesia’s Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Gelora Party, said he received a visit from Shoaib Baryalai, First Political Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday, August 24.
In a post on X, Matta said he was briefed directly on progress in efforts by the authorities in Afghanistan to fulfill international commitments and advance the country’s reintegration into the international community.
He said Indonesia would continue its constructive engagement to support the process, with the aim of helping improve, stabilize and promote prosperity for the Afghan people.
Qais Barakzai, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Afghanistan in Jakarta, welcomed Indonesia’s approach, saying Afghanistan appreciates the country’s constructive engagement.
Barakzai said Afghanistan reaffirms its commitment to meaningful engagement with the international community, as well as to peace, stability and cooperation in the region.
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