Former Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power has strongly criticised the agency’s shutdown, calling it a “Gift to the People’s Republic of China.”
In a televised interview with CBS in the US last week, Power highlighted the consequences of this move, especially for developing nations, which had turned to the US for alternative support options. “The countries that stand most to benefit are authoritarian regimes, those that thrive on corruption and coercion,” Power said. She said that, in the absence of USAID, China would seize the opportunity to extend its influence over developing countries, particularly those rich in critical minerals. “They are showing up and trying to bring countries into their orbit to access these resources and shift their supply chains,” she said.
Power said that many debt-ridden nations had increasingly sought assistance from the US, drawn to its value proposition rooted in care for the people in those countries.
She said that Russian officials were observed celebrating the shutdown on social media.
Power discussed the broader impact of USAID, which, she said, has been instrumental not only for the well-being of people in countries it serves, but also for US security and interests. Despite this, she lamented how distorted views about USAID’s role have now overshadowed its achievements.
