A government watchdog says that more than $489 million worth of food aid is at risk of spoiling as it sits in warehouses and ports around the world, following the pause in spending at the U.S. Agency for International Development imposed by the Trump administration.
The report from USAID's inspector general says that waivers in the funding pause should allow life-saving activities such as supplying food aid to continue. However, significant staff reductions at the agency’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance have “significantly impacted USAID’s capacity to disburse and safeguard its humanitarian assistance programming.” Most USAID staff and contractors have been placed on leave.
The inspector general noted that USAID routinely stores food – purchased from U.S. farmers as a matter of law – in warehouses around the world, including “29,000 metric tons in Houston, Texas, valued at nearly $39 million, more than 40,000 metric tons in a warehouse in Djibouti in East Africa valued at $40 million, and over 10,000 metric tons in a South African warehouse valued at $10 million.” Additionally, over 500,000 additional metric tons of food are currently in transit or ready to be shipped; these supplies are now in limbo, “subjecting them to spoilage, unanticipated storage needs, and potential diversion.”
Hours after the release of the report, USAID inspector general Paul Martin was fired by the Trump administration. Martin said no reason was provided for his termination.