The court has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift a funding freeze on US humanitarian aid and development work
I was hosted by South Africa’s Democracy Development Programme to share my perspectives on the implications of USAid operations being halted, because Uganda is a beneficiary of US funding.
I strongly oppose this globally peddled notion that foreign aid is free assistance, as many assume.
US President Donald Trump’s halting the operations of USAid has sparked a fresh debate about foreign aid.
Aid, regardless of whether it’s for infrastructure, health and humanitarian, goes beyond simply donating money. It is a proven strategy in geopolitics.
Donating money, grants, and other resources from one part of the world to another is not only beneficial to the recipient.
Foreign aid has become a soft power tool through which super powers impose their supremacy on other parts of the world, especially in developing countries.
As nations embark on their mission of bestowing their soft power to Africa, Asia, Oceania and Latin America, they must be cognisant of the fact that power concedes nothing without demand and costs. Therefore, foreign aid is an investment.
The funding and assistance the US has extended is strategic in advancing its influence and interests around the world over rival powers such as Russia and China.
While the Trump administration is delivering on the promise of “make America great again” should not forget the US’s “greatness” thrives on the foreign policy and global influence.
The intention of the John F Kennedy administration behind establishing USAid in 1961 was to win the battle for hearts and minds in the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the US.
The Cold War has never ended; it has merely shaded its skin into an economic and geopolitical war.
Through foreign assistance the US has advanced in strengthening its security and interests globally over its rivals and allies, therefore it should never demonise foreign aid.
The US secretary of state and the acting administrator of US, Marco Rubio, upon exercising executive orders halting foreign aid stated: “Every dollar we spend, every programme we fund, every policy we pursue must be justified by the answer to one of the three questions: does it make America safer, does it make America stronger or does it make America more prosperous?”
From my observation, all three questions have been answered over the past 63 years.
USAid’s foreign funding has been good for its foreign policy and for marketing America.
Through foreign aid the US is enjoying multilateral supremacy, making it a more secure and most prosperous nation.
It is a misconstrue narrative that the US is wasting US tax payers’ money. Rather foreign aid is an investment.
Through programmes such as USAid, thousands of jobs for Americans are being created.
Through foreign aid the US is keeping the dollar a dominant currency around the world. What kind of multiplier effect on such investments do Elon Musk and Trump want?
In Uganda, the US donates close to $1 billion. Because Ugandans pursue studies in the US, and purchase American products, technology and intel services, the US reclaims that money in the form of revenue, tariffs and remittances.
So, foreign aid is actually mutual collaboration, partnerships and exchange of opportunities and resources.
It’s not only the US; China is exerting its global reach through foreign assistance, loans, debts and infrastructure support.
China is now bringing more countries into its orbit using projects such as the Belt and Roads Initiative and the New Silk Road programme in Africa and Latin America.
Panama recently withdrew from China’s roads and belt programme. This followed Rubio’s tour of the Panama Canal. Trump had previously accused Panama of “ceding control of the strategic waterway to China, despite denials from both countries”, Al Jazeera reported.
While the Trump administration should not dismiss foreign aid as a waste because it is bolstering US multilateralism and bilateral relations.
Robert Kigongo is a sustainable development analyst.