30,000 tons of short-dated food supplies is already programmed for delivery to crisis zones like Syria, Bangladesh and Sudan, pictured above. (Ebrahim Hamid/AFP via Getty Images)
An additional 12,000 tons of aid is awaiting final reprogramming, a delay the department attributes to a temporary hold by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on Title II apportionments — an issue officials say has now been resolved.
"To the extent there is a delay that is causing operational problems, it is not from the State Department," the official said. "All of the food expiring in the next 16 months is accounted for."
The official also dismissed recent media coverage, arguing that the focus on a limited amount of food near expiration distorts the larger picture. "The very small portion — less than 1% of USAID’s food stockpiles — addressed by the mainstream media was the exception that distracts from a very extensive and orderly process we directed to ensure that all of the food was accounted for in an efficient and strategic manner."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the administration’s vision for foreign assistance, saying he was abandoning what he called a "charity-based model" in favor of empowering growth and self-reliance in developing nations. (Getty Images)
With USAID phased out, the State Department is now responsible for managing large-scale aid programs, and it is under pressure to deliver. Lawmakers and aid groups are closely watching to see whether the newly reprogrammed food aid reaches intended recipients.
Democrats seized on the incineration reports during congressional hearings this week, accusing the Trump administration of turning its back on urgent humanitarian needs. The reports were first published by The Atlantic.
Earlier this month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the administration’s vision for foreign assistance, saying he was abandoning what he called a "charity-based model" in favor of empowering growth and self-reliance in developing nations.
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"We will favor those nations that have demonstrated both the ability and willingness to help themselves," Rubio wrote, "and will target our resources to areas where they can have a multiplier effect and catalyze durable private sector — including American companies — and global investment."
The new approach is designed to emphasize trade and investment over direct aid, and to position the U.S. to better counter China’s growing global influence.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/after-reports-incinerated-aid-state-department-says-59000-tons-food-motion