Even a three month stop has very severe negative consequences around the world and in Haiti, for saving people’s lives and for preserving U.S. credibility, U.S. soft power.”

Cindy McCain, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Agencies in Rome, inspects relief items donated by USAID at the World Food Programme warehouse, during her visit to assess the drought conditions and food security at the Kakuma refugee camp in Turkana county,

Secretary of State Marco Rubio backtracked on Trump’s near-total foreign aid freeze and approved potentially billions of dollars in “life-saving humanitarian assistance.” Many aid groups are still unsure what that means.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver on Tuesday for life-saving humanitarian assistance during a 90-day pause in foreign aid while Washington undertakes a review, according to a State Department memo seen by Reuters.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has backpedalled on the near-total freeze of US foreign aid, stating that ‘life-saving humanitarian assistance’ would be continued during the 90-day review period. There is widespread uncertainty about which programmes fall under the new waiver among global and South African health organisations.