Developing countries came in for a rude shock when US President Donald Trump announced during the run up to the presidential polls that he intends to drastically cut USAID to developing countries.

According to a report by US-based website ‘Foreign Policy’, an internal State Department document has shed light on plans to slash US assistance to developing countries including Sri Lanka.

US foreign aid seems to be the biggest casualty of President Donald Trump’s first budget. According to media reports, Trump’s proposed budget for 2018, the USAID ‘Economic Support Fund’ allocation to Sri Lanka will be cut by 100%.

News1st is awaiting a clarification from the US Embassy in Colombo on what the ‘Economic Support Fund’ to Sri Lanka entails and if a 100% cut as reported in the ‘Foreign Policy’ website would end US economic development assistance to Sri Lanka.

In 2016, USAID disbursed assistance to Sri Lanka to the value of USD 24 million.

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