Foreign aid groups in Quebec face fallout from Trump's USAID cuts
'It’s incredibly painful,' says organization executive director after cancelling program in Mali
A U.S. foreign aid agency is being stripped down to its bare bones by President Donald Trump's administration, and the cuts are having a direct impact on Quebec-based organizations.
Among them is Centre d'étude et de coopération internationale (CECI), an international organization that supports communities in 17 countries. One of its projects focuses on feeding and housing families in Mali who have been displaced by war.
Executive director Philippe Dongier said the project suddenly had to stop because it had historically received about $3 million in funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
"It's incredibly painful," said Dongier. "We have many partners — basically, the whole program is delivered by local people in Mali."
He said partnering organizations, staff and families are scrambling now that the funding has been cut off.
CECI isn't alone. Numerous Canadian projects are in limbo as USAID, the world's largest aid agency, freezes funding to multilateral programs. It's unclear what will happen to millions of dollars Ottawa had sent to USAID for programming.
The aid coalition Cooperation Canada says millions of people, like those in Mali, are being abruptly cut off from life-saving supplies.
Trump has tasked billionaire ally Elon Musk with cutting the U.S. budget. The exercise has involved a 90-day freeze on most American foreign aid, pending a review aimed at ensuring the spending aligns with American interests.
USAID manages about $40 billion US per year, distributing it to partnering organizations around the world. Some of the projects USAID supports include helping women fleeing gender violence in Ukraine.
Others help people access vaccines and medicine in Pakistan in the fight to eradicate polio. Organization heads in Canada say these efforts have an impact back home.
"When you help stabilize the Sahel, for example, or a country like Haiti where there is a lot of instability, you help prevent extreme acts of violent terrorism," Dongier explained.
"And to some extent, you help curb large migratory flows, and you maintain good relations with these countries, which is essential for their influence."
Funding health projects abroad also helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases by providing vaccines and medical care, such as treatment for HIV/AIDS.
HIV/AIDS treatment in jeopardy
Dr. Cécile Tremblay, an HIV/AIDS researcher at Université de Montréal, said she feels both terrible and angry.
She said she feels terrible because "I know the people in developing countries have done a lot of work in the past decades to build these infrastructures," and angry because of Trump's willingness to "exert his power on the poorer people in the world."
"We have to be really scared of what's happening," she said.
Global Affairs Canada said the situation is highly concerning, and organizations are looking for alternative means of funding. That means asking the Canadian government and Canadians to donate, according to various organizations contacted by CBC News.
A spokesperson for Quebec's Ministry of International Relations and La Francophonie said in an email that the dismantling of USAID will have an impact on the entire international solidarity ecosystem, as the United States is the world's largest contributor to development and humanitarian aid.
"We are closely monitoring the direct and indirect impacts of this decision on Quebec's international co-operation organizations and their international partners," said Charles Carpentier.
He said the Quebec government is following the developments and potential impacts of the decisions made by the new U.S. administration.
Written by Isaac Olson with files from Gloria Henriquez