The US aid agency, US Agency for International Development (US AID), has fired several aid workers who were sent to assess relief efforts after a devastating earthquake hit Myanmar on March 28. The firings come as the administration is dismantling the agency and reducing foreign aid.
More than 3,300 people were killed and over 4,800 injured in the quake, which also triggered tropical storms and flooding. The US initially declined to send aid specialists until this week, when a three-person team arrived in Myanmar on Tuesday. However, despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s assurances that the US would continue some humanitarian aid efforts, no concrete steps have been taken.
The firings raise questions about Rubio’s commitment to continuing humanitarian aid, as well as the administration’s response to the crisis. The Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance at US AID sent an email on Friday saying the situation is “challenging and uncertain.” The agency has faced significant cuts since late January, with some reports suggesting that only one-tenth of the $20 million in aid committed by the US, India, Japan, and Australia will be provided.
Six Democratic senators have denounced the administration’s lack of response to the crisis, calling it “failing its first test” of its ability to provide humanitarian aid. The State Department is also facing shake-ups, with some career diplomats expressing concerns about the appointment of a new senior bureau official who lacks experience in managing personnel and human resources.
The firings are the latest controversy surrounding Rubio’s appointment, which has raised eyebrows among US diplomats. The union representing over 18,000 State Department employees has released a statement expressing “deep concern” over Rubio’s leadership style, citing his pro-Trump views as a threat to the agency’s professionalism.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/05/us/politics/aid-workers-myanmar-fired.html