The expiration of nearly 500 tonnes of high-energy biscuits intended for malnourished children in Afghanistan and Pakistan resulted from the shutdown of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). This emergency food, valued at $793,000, will be destroyed despite efforts to save other food aid by sending it to Syria, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The cost of disposing of these expired biscuits adds an additional $100,000 to the US government's expenses. President Trump expressed concerns about foreign aid costs and aimed for a reduction in USAID's operations.
Under questioning by lawmakers, Michael Rigas, the deputy secretary of state in charge of management, tied the decision to the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which closed its doors on July 1.
496 tonnes, worth $793,000 before they expired this month, will be destroyed...that will cost the US government an additional $100,000, according to the May 5 memo verified by three sources familiar with the matter.
Trump has said the US pays disproportionately for foreign aid, and he wants other countries to shoulder more of the burden.
The food aid stuck in Dubai was fortified wheat biscuits, which are calorie-rich and typically deployed in crisis conditions where people lack cooking facilities, providing immediate nutrition for a child or adult, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
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