Where the US spends the most on foreign aid

Where the US Spends the Most on Foreign Aid

Debates over U.S. aid to Israel and Ukraine have dominated Washington this year, raising questions about U.S. economic and military support to various allies and whether the nation spends too much support abroad.

Opposition within the GOP to foreign aid has been building, with Republicans arguing the U.S. needs to spend more on border security.

The debate is likely to color this year’s presidential race, and the reelection of former President Trump and his America First campaign could raise questions about funding for some partners.

Here’s a look at where the U.S. has spent the most on foreign aid this year and why.

Ukraine

$78.3 billion

1. Congress allocated $61 billion for Ukraine in a foreign aid package signed late last month, following months of political fighting over whether to continue backing the country against a Russian invasion.
2. The funding nearly doubles what the U.S. has invested in Ukraine since its war began in early 2022, bringing the spending total on the conflict to about $137 billion between military and economic aid, according to the Kiel Institute.
3. Nearly all the military spending in the new aid package will be spent on domestic arms manufacturers, resupplying stockpiles sent to Ukraine to fight Russia. It also includes about $8 billion for economic development and recovery in the country.

Israel

$21.6 billion

1. Israel has been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid since World War II. The country has accepted more than $300 billion since 1946, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, with more than $220 billion of the figure in military aid.
2. Long considered the U.S.’s closest ally in the Middle East, Congress has allocated between $3 billion to $4 billion per year to Israel consistently since the 1970s for its defense. Nearly all of the sum is provided through a State Department program allowing Israel to purchase U.S.-manufactured arms and munitions for no cost.
3. That trend was bucked late last month, as the long-awaited foreign aid package included about $15 billion in military aid for Israel amid its war with Hamas in Gaza. The package is the largest single-year allocation of aid for Israel in at least 50 years, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

Jordan

$3.2 billion

1. Jordan is the third-largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid, according to a State Department and USAID tracker of spending. About half of the funds allocated for the country in 2023 were for military aid.
2. That spending has already come in handy in the Israel-Hamas war, as Jordan joined the United States in defending Israel against a wave of Iranian drone and missile strikes last month. The unprecedented attack on Israel was completely shut down by the combined defenses of the three countries.
3. Jordan also assisted the U.S. in airdrops of humanitarian aid into Gaza amid the conflict in March.

Egypt

$2.9 billion

1. Foreign spending in Egypt has come under additional scrutiny in the last year after the indictment of Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).
2. Menendez, who stepped down as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee during the investigation, is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands in bribes from interests in Egypt.
3. After the indictment, Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who became foreign relations chair when Menendez stepped down, held back $235 million bound for Egypt, criticizing the country’s dogged record on human rights and press freedom.

Ethiopia

$2.0 billion

1. Allocations to Ethiopia are nearly entirely humanitarian aid, as regions of the country struggle with a deep famine and civil unrest. The northern region of Tigray fell into an ethnic conflict in 2022, with rebel and government forces facing off as thousands starved.
2. USAID resumed food aid to the region in December, five months after it took the extraordinary step of halting its nationwide program over a massive corruption scheme by local officials.
3. The rare combination of droughts, conflict and other factors disrupting food supplies has made Ethiopia one of the largest recipients of U.S. humanitarian aid. About one-sixth of Ethiopians received food aid before discovery of the food theft early last year.

Nigeria

$1.5 billion

1. Nigeria foreign aid spending is focused on health care and food access. The U.S. spent about a quarter billion dollars on stemming the spread of HIV and AIDS in the country in 2023, according to USAID, as well as another $130 million on other health needs.
2. The country also has areas where food is in critical need, sparking another quarter billion in spending for food access and other expenditures filed by the State Department under “emergency response.”
3. Most of the support is funneled through non-government organizations and charities operating in the country.

Somalia

$1.3 billion

1. Almost the entirety of funds allocated for Somalia are under emergency designation for food access as the country continues to struggle after decades of civil unrest.
2. About $700 million of the expenditures are in partnership with the United Nations, which has had a constant presence in the country for decades amid a brewing civil war with breakaway Somaliland.
3. Just more than $100 million is set to fund U.N. peacekeeping missions in the country.

Kenya

$1.1 billion

1. In Kenya, U.S. humanitarian assistance
   

   SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

   1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

      • Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
      • Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable, and transparent institutions at all levels
      • Indicator: Funding for military aid and economic development in Ukraine to support its defense against a Russian invasion

   2. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

      • Target 17.1: Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries
      • Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and coherence
      • Indicator: Allocation of foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Kenya

   Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators
   SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions	Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere	Funding for military aid and economic development in Ukraine to support its defense against a Russian invasion
   SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals	Target 17.1: Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries	Allocation of foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Kenya
   	Target 17.2: Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and coherence	Allocation of foreign aid to Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Kenya

   Explanation:

   1. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions is addressed in the article through the discussion of funding for military aid and economic development in Ukraine to support its defense against a Russian invasion. This relates to Target 16.1, which aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere. The funding provided can be seen as an indicator of progress towards this target.

   2. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals is connected to the article through the allocation of foreign aid to various countries, including Ukraine, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Somalia, and Kenya. This aligns with Target 17.1, which focuses on strengthening domestic resource mobilization through international support to developing countries. It also relates to Target 17.2, which aims to enhance global macroeconomic stability through policy coordination and coherence. The allocation of foreign aid serves as an indicator of progress towards these targets.

   3. The indicators mentioned in the article include funding for military aid and economic development in Ukraine to support its defense against a Russian invasion. This can be used to measure progress towards Target 16.1 of reducing violence and related death rates. Additionally, the allocation of foreign aid to various countries serves as an indicator of progress towards Targets 17.1 and 17.2, which focus on strengthening domestic resource mobilization and enhancing global macroeconomic stability.

   4. The table summarizes the findings from analyzing the article, listing the relevant SDGs, targets, and indicators. It highlights the connection between the issues discussed in the article and the Sustainable Development Goals, providing a clear overview of the identified targets and indicators.

   Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

   Fuente: fox40.com

    

   

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