US pledges $2 billion in aid, tells UN to 'adapt, shrink, or die'

The United States on Monday made a much reduced pledge of $2 billion to fund United Nations (UN) humanitarian programmes.

The "anchor committment" is part of a "new paradigm whereby the United States will replace the current unaccountable morass of projectized grants with a set of consolidated and flexible pooled fund vehicles at the country or crisis level," the US State Department said in a statement, also warning UN agencies to "adapt, shrink, or die."

A "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining a new paradigm for U.S. funding of UN humanitarian assistance" was signed in Geneva on Monday, the department said.

The State Department said that, while US annual contributions to UN humanitarian programmes have "skyrocketed in recent years – reaching $8-10 billion annually - ... many UN bodies have abandoned their mission of promoting global peace and security."

The department spoke of "radical social ideologies, acting to undermine American interests and values, and undermining peace, sovereignty, and shared prosperity."

Trump's under secretary for Foreign Assistance, Jeremy Lewin, said that the signed agreement "shifts U.S. funding of UN humanitarian work onto clearly defined, accountable, efficient, and hyper-prioritized funding mechanisms to ensure that every taxpayer dollar spent of humanitarian assistance both advances American national interests and achieves the greatest possible lifesaving impact."

State Secretary Marco Rubio said the deal "radically reforms the way the U.S. programs, funds, and oversees UN-administered humanitarian work, ensuring that more lives will be saved for fewer U.S. taxpayer dollars."

UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher thanked the US for the "extraordinary commitment to humanitarian action."

"At a moment of immense global strain, the United States is demonstrating that it is a humanitarian superpower, offering hope to people who have lost everything."

The US has for years been the world's largest provider of humanitarian aid, but since returning to office in January, Trump has slashed billions of dollars in foreign aid, including by shutting down international development agency USAID.