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171513 author: JoshuaHolland@mastodon.social 03 Feb 2025 19:53
https://2012-2017.usaid.gov/news-information/frontlines/50-years-and-food-security/mission-south-africa#:~:text=U.S.%20policy%20was%20to%20help,economic%20change%20through%20peaceful%20means
tags: #apartheid #elonmusk #fascism #trump

In case you're confused about why #elonmusk calls USAID a "criminal organization": The agency played a role in ending his beloved #Apartheid.
#trump #fascism

U.S. policy was to help bring an end to apartheid and establish a nonracial, democratic government. In response to this policy and the Act, USAID/South Africa was responsible for financing projects that apartheid victims viewed as critical in promoting social, political, and economic change through peaceful means.

The mission enabled community consultation and ensured that the United States did not impose foreign-defined solutions to local problems. USAID created projects and activities to respond to the priorities of the black community and its leaders, maximized black participation and leadership, and ensured activities had a linkage to the general objectives of U.S. policy.

There are many factors that made USAID/South Africa unique and a challenge to establish, including a political rather than an economic development objective. Because of the sensitive political situation with the South African Government, the embassy was initially a reluctant partner.

No funds or consultation could be provided to or through the government. This led to great suspicion and attempts to delegitimize our activities. The staff had to be kept smaller than would normally be required by the level of funding, challenging the mission to do more with less.