Foreign
Trump administration seeks legislative backing to terminate vaccine funding
The President Donald Trump administration plans to terminate the United States’ financial support for the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation, the organization that has helped purchase critical vaccines for children in developing countries.
Some other programs terminated is funding for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which conducts surveillance for diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, including bird flu, in 49 countries. Some major programs to track and fight malaria, one of the world’s top killers of children, have also been ended.
Those decisions are included in a 281-page spreadsheet that the United States Agency for International Development sent to the US Congress, listing the foreign aid projects it plans to continue and to terminate.
The New York Times obtained a copy of the spreadsheet and other documents describing the plans.
For many years, developing countries have relied on GAVI support to combat malaria.
Gavi is estimated to have saved the lives of 19 million children since it was set up 25 years ago. The United States contributes 13 percent of its budget.
The terminated grant to Gavi was worth $2.6 billion through 2030.
By Gavi’s own estimate, the loss of U.S. support may mean 75 million children do not receive routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children dying as a result.
The U.S. has been among the top donors to the organization since its creation, and became the largest during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Gavi was counting on a pledge made last year by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for its next funding cycle.
New vaccines with the promise to save millions of lives in low-income countries, such as one to protect children from severe malaria and another to protect teenage girls against the virus that causes cervical cancer, have recently become available, and Gavi was expanding the portfolio of support it could give those countries.
The loss of U.S. funds may set back the organization’s ability to continue to provide its basic range of services — such as immunization for measles and polio — to a growing population of children in the poorest countries, let alone expand to include new vaccines.
While European countries have historically provided significant funding, many are now reducing foreign aid spending as they grapple with the change in U.S. policy on Ukraine and the U.S. demand that they increase their defense spending.
Japan, another major Gavi donor, is struggling with a depreciating currency.
GAVI’s chief executive, Dr. Sania Nishtar said that she hoped the Trump administration would reconsider the decision to end its support. “Gavi’s work keeps people everywhere, including Americans, safe. In addition to protecting individual children, vaccination reduces the possibility of large outbreaks. The organization maintains global stockpiles for vaccines against diseases such as Ebola and cholera, deploying them in rapid response efforts for epidemics,” she said.
Gavi’s structure requires countries to pay part of the cost of vaccines, with their share growing as income levels rise; middle-income countries are weaned from support.
The Trump administration, according to the letter has decided to continue 898 U.S. Agency for International Development Awards and to end 5,341.
It says the remaining programs are worth up to $78 billion.
But only $8.3 billion of that is unobligated funds — money still available to disburse, because the amount covers awards that run several years into the future.
The figure shows a massive reduction in the $40 billion that U.S.A.I.D. used to spend annually.
The administration has decided to continue some key grants for medications to treat H.I.V. and tuberculosis, and food aid to countries facing civil wars and natural disasters.
The cover letter details the skeletal remains of U.S.A.I.D. after the cuts, with most of its funding eliminated, and only 869 of more than 6,000 employees still on active duty.
The memo says that 869 U.S.A.I.D. personnel were working as of last Friday, while 3,848 were on administrative leave and 1,602 are in the process of being laid off.
Of 300 probationary employees who were initially fired, 270 have returned to work following a court order prohibiting their dismissal.
A spokesperson for the State Department, which now runs what is left of U.S.A.I.D., confirmed the terminations on the list were accurate and said that “each award terminated was reviewed individually for alignment with agency and administration priorities, and terminations were executed where Secretary Rubio determined the award was inconsistent with the national interest or agency policy priorities.”
Although the administration has repeatedly said publicly that its foreign assistance review process has been concluded, the information in the documents suggests that there is still some fluidity in which programs will survive.
Staff members of one major malaria program that was terminated weeks ago, and which appears on the list of canceled projects sent to Congress, for example, were informed on Monday that it is being restored.
Nevertheless, cuts to malaria response are deep. While awards that fund the bulk purchase of bednets and malaria treatments have been preserved, many of the programs to deliver these and other malaria control efforts in individual countries such as Cameroon and Tanzania — among the most affected in the world — have been terminated.
Some organizations with awards that have not been officially canceled have received no funds for more than two months, and have folded. Without them, there is no one to take treatments from ports to local clinics, or deliver them to children.
The Ghanaian government has canceled two transactions initiated by the previous administration under the leadership of former president Nana Akufo-Addo to sell Ghanaian diplomatic properties in Nigeria and Zambia.
“Yesterday I informed Parliament that with the full backing of President Mahama, we have cancelled two transactions initiated by the previous Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to sell Ghanaian diplomatic properties in Nigeria and Zambia.” Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announced on his X.
According to the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, the current administration is determined to retrieve an illegal part payment in one of the transactions.
Adding that those who are involved in these illegal transactions will be sanctioned.
“Determined efforts are underway to retrieve an illegal part payment in one of the transactions. The masterminds, who are currently on the run will surely be found and sanctioned.” He added.
He said the NDC government is committed to their promise that no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana would be sold under President John Dramani Mahama administration.
Hon. Ablakwa warned that none of our diplomatic properties either in Ghana or any of our 71 diplomatic missions abroad are available for sale.
“We mean it when we say no diplomatic property belonging to the people of Ghana would be sold under our watch. Notice is hereby served that none of our diplomatic properties either in Ghana or any of our 71 diplomatic missions abroad are available for sale — hands off!” He stated.
According to him, they will use the principles of Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) to protect properties belonging to the state as well as the public purse.
“The principles of ORAL, strict abhorrence for State Capture and the national interest shall continue to guide our decisions. For God and Country.” Ablakwa assured.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
Namibia has imposed visa requirements on U.S. citizen tourists starting from April 1, 2025.
According to the Namibian Government, U.S. citizen tourists who wish to visit the Southern African country should obtain a visa before entering the country.
The U.S Embassy in Namibia posted that US visitors are required to apply for a visa through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal: https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival.
“Beginning April 1, 2025, the Namibian Government will require U.S. citizen tourists to obtain a visa prior to entering the country. Visitors are recommended to apply for their visa in advance of planned travel through Namibia’s online visa on arrival portal: https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/visaonarrival. Visitors using this online visa application system must carry a hard copy of their approval notice when they travel.” The Embassy posted.
The Namibian Government added that visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Katima Mulilo, Ngoma will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point.
“Visitors arriving in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, or entering at high volume border crossing points (e.g., Katima Mulilo, Ngoma) will also have the option of purchasing a tourist visa upon arrival at the respective airport or border crossing point. Namibia’s visa on arrival system is new and implementation details are subject to change.” They added.
The decision by the Namibian government to impose visa requirements on US citizens has met mixed reactions on social media.
While others are commending the government, others have also raised concerns about the negative impact on the Namibia economy as tourism contributes higher income to the government.
Some political actors believe Namibian female President, H.E. Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the decision to reciprocate the US government visa restrictions and some Western countries who have denied visa free entry to Namibians.
Source: Elvisanokyenews.net
Donald Trump on Sunday repeated his suggestion that he might seek a third term as US president, NBC News reported, which would defy the two-term limit stipulated in the US constitution.
In a Sunday-morning phone call with NBC News, Trump said “I’m not joking,” when asked to clarify a remark on seeking another term, adding: “There are methods which you could do it.”
The 78-year-old billionaire has a history of suggesting he might serve more than two terms, but Sunday’s remarks were the most concrete in terms of referring to plans to achieve the goal.
Trump has launched his second presidency with an unprecedented blitz of executive power, using the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, to dismantle swaths of the government, and said his supporters want even more.
“A lot of people want me to do it,” Trump told NBC News on Sunday. “But, I mean, I basically tell them we have a long way to go, you know, it’s very early in the administration.”
Amending the US constitution to allow a third presidential term would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, which Trump’s Republican Party does not have.
Trump said it was “far too early to think about it,” but told NBC he had been presented with plans that would allow him to seek reelection.
When NBC asked Trump of a possible scenario whereby Vice President JD Vance would run for president and then abdicate the role to Trump, the US president said “that’s one” method.
He added that “there are others,” but refused to share further details.
If Trump does not approach Congress for the constitutional amendment, he would need to get support from two-thirds of the country’s 50 states to call a constitutional convention that would propose changes to the charter.
Whether he goes through Congress or the states, he would then require ratification from three-quarters of all states.
Both routes appear to be unlikely, given the current number of states and Congressional seats under Republican control.
A constitutional convention has never been successfully called in the United States, where all 27 constitutional amendments have been passed by the congressional method.
In January, days after Trump took office, Republican Andy Ogles of Tennessee introduced a House joint resolution to amend the constitution to allow presidents up to three terms.
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