An international non-governmental organization (NGO) published a full-page advertisement in Sunday’s New York Times, urging Americans to donate to help hundreds of millions of disadvantaged people. The call for donations comes in response to significant cuts in the United States’ foreign aid budget, according to a report by British news agency Reuters.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) stated that the advertisement was funded by a private donor. It calls on the American public to “step forward in this critical moment,” especially following the announcement of a 90% reduction in U.S. foreign and humanitarian aid.
In a statement, the IRC said, “Our goal is to highlight the severe impact of this aid cut.” The organization revealed that over the past week, it received notices to terminate 46 government grants, which will leave at least 2 million people without life-saving services. Affected countries include Sudan, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.
The advertisement urges Americans to support the organization’s efforts to mitigate the impact of these cuts. The NGO has asked donors to contribute through donor-advised funds, stock accounts, foundations, checks, or credit cards.
The U.S. administration is re-evaluating foreign aid to align with the “America First” policy. Last Thursday, President Donald Trump’s administration announced the suspension of several life-saving global health projects, among others.
A State Department spokesperson said that USAID reviewed 6,200 multi-year grants and decided to cancel 5,800 of them, amounting to $54 billion. This represents a 92% reduction in aid. Additionally, the foreign aid budget related to the State Department has been reduced by $4.4 billion, or approximately 30%.
The advertisement warned, “Children will suffer as food produced by hardworking American farmers remains unused in warehouses. Preventable diseases will cause deaths every day. This is a humanitarian disaster—a matter of life and death for those already in crisis.”
However, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassured that the U.S. is not entirely stopping foreign aid. Exceptions have been made for emergency life-saving assistance.