UN food, refugee agencies face massive cuts following demise of USAID and billions in funding losses

The UN’s food and refugee agencies have warned of dire cuts to their services as funding plummets from the United States under President Donald Trump. So far his administration has scrapped 83 percent of humanitarian programs funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The agency had an annual budget of $42.8 billion, representing 42 percent of total global humanitarian aid, including major contributions to UN agencies. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on the harrowing plight of humanitarian organizations forced to significantly scale back vital aid to millions around the world, FRANCE 24’s Delano D’Souza welcomes Avril Benoît, Chief Executive Officer of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières in the United States (MSF USA). Prior to joining MSF, Ms. Benoît had a “distinguished 20-year career” as an award-winning broadcast journalist, international correspondent and documentary producer at the CBC in Canada.