With the US administration under President Donald Trump critical about the global programmes and the efficiency of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), it is not surprising that the USAID workforce is being drastically trimmed worldwide. As per the latest reports, about 2,000 roles have been cut and most employees have been placed on leave.
This is part of the administration’s attempts to save costs by reducing the federal government workforce size. Employees worldwide have reportedly been issued notices saying that other than designated staff in charge of mission-critical functions, the core leaders and those leading designated programmes, all other employees are to be placed on administrative leave. They have been informed that they would have to return their official devices for which they will be issued instruction soon.
The travel expenses of all overseas employees returning to their homes will be borne by USAID, which has been spearheading humanitarian and development programmes worldwide with the help of its over10,000-strong global workforce.
The Trump administration has doubted the effectiveness of USAID’s global projects and programmes, which it feels is wasteful expenditure. It has also been considering discontinuing several development programmes and freezing financial assistance.
Earlier this month the agency’s workforce was reportedly slashed from 10,000 employees to barely 300, leaving critical aid programmes in uncertainty. It was reported that USAID’s downsizing had left its Africa bureau with only 12 employees and the Asia bureau with just eight.
