Washington has announced a large new aid package worth $2 billion. This has started a discussion about international help. The US State Department said the money requires changes to how the United Nations gives aid. They want aid to be more efficient and less wasteful. The money will go to seventeen specific countries. However, it will not go to Afghanistan or Yemen. This has caused worry about aid being used for political reasons.
The US wants the money to go through a new system managed by a UN office. This is different from how aid was given before. Supporters say this will make things simpler and ensure the aid is used correctly. However, some people are concerned. An independent researcher, Themrise Khan, thinks this could make the UN too controlled by US foreign policy. Khan believes this system might stop the UN from being truly objective.
The announcement comes at a time of political change in Guinea, West Africa. The leader of the military government, Mamady Doumbouya, won the presidential election. Official results show he got 86.72% of the votes. Many people voted, about 80.95%. However, some opposition leaders were not allowed to run in the election. This makes the election results controversial.
Doumbouya took power in a coup in 2021. He had promised to return the country to civilian rule by the end of 2024. He decided to run for president, which has led to strong criticism. The US is not including Afghanistan and Yemen in its aid list. This shows that US interests might affect how aid is given.
This change in US aid strategy creates challenges for global help. The US wants to make aid more efficient. However, the strict conditions for the money raise questions about the independence of aid groups. If the UN seems to be following US policy, it could lose trust and be less effective. Not including countries with big problems, like Afghanistan and Yemen, suggests aid decisions might be based on politics, not just need.