The U.S. State Department clarified on Saturday that the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—the world’s largest HIV initiative—is exempt from the 90-day pause on foreign aid ordered by President Donald Trump.
Shortly after taking office on January 20, Trump halted all foreign aid contributions for review under his "America First" policy. While emergency food aid was granted an exemption earlier, the lack of clarity left aid organizations uncertain about which programs could continue.
The State Department's Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy issued a formal memo confirming that PEPFAR remains operational, allowing for:
HIV care and treatment, including testing and counseling
Prevention and treatment of infections such as tuberculosis (TB)
Laboratory services and medicine supply chains
Mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention
The memo stated that all other activities not explicitly mentioned require express approval.
PEPFAR directly supports over 20 million people living with HIV worldwide, accounting for two-thirds of all those receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, the wider foreign aid freeze remains in place. As of Tuesday, all U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) payments were suspended, marking the first halt in funding since October 1.
Additionally, sources indicate that the Trump administration is considering placing USAID under direct State Department control, a move that would significantly reshape U.S. foreign aid policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has linked his push to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, as tensions with Europe esca...
France is expected to decline a U.S. invitation to join a proposed international ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza, with sources close to President Emmanue...
The Trump administration has invited Russia and Belarus to join a proposed Gaza ‘Board of Peace’, officials in both countries confirmed on Monday....
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to become a founding member of the U.S.-led Board of Peace, w...
The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping centre in Karachi has climbed to 26, with dozens of people still missing as rescue efforts contin...
U.S. President Donald Trump has linked his push to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, as tensions with Europe escalate and the European Union considers retaliatory measures that could reignite a transatlantic trade war.
France is expected to decline a U.S. invitation to join a proposed international ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza, with sources close to President Emmanuel Macron saying Paris is not prepared, at this stage, to give a favourable response.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to become a founding member of the U.S.-led Board of Peace, while France has declined to take part, citing concerns over the body’s mandate.
The death toll from a devastating fire at a shopping centre in Karachi has climbed to 26, with dozens of people still missing as rescue efforts continue, according to local media.
Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation said on Monday.
European leaders voiced growing alarm on Sunday over U.S. threats to impose tariffs on eight NATO allies, warning the move could destabilize transatlantic relations and heighten tensions in the Arctic.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a decree recognising Kurdish language rights, as government forces advanced against U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters despite U.S. calls for restraint.
Five skiers were killed in a pair of avalanches in Austria’s western Alpine regions on Saturday, with two others injured, one critically.
Speaking on Armenian public radio on 9 January, Armenia’s Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan made some important announcements for 2026. Among them, discussions between Yerevan and Baku over the range of products Armenia can potentially export to Azerbaijan.
Mongolia has introduced a new decree to strengthen traditional Mongolian medicine and expand its international profile.
Save the Children has pledged to expand maternal and child health services across Afghanistan after its new country director met the country’s public health minister in Kabul on Wednesday.
China has announced plans to fully cover childbirth-related costs for families as authorities move to incentivise young couples to have more children.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that he still hopes the U.S. administration will reconsider its decision to withdraw from the organisation next month, warning that its exit would be a loss for the world.
The United States has signed significant health cooperation agreements with Uganda and Lesotho, further strengthening bilateral relations and advancing global health initiatives, the U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment