USAID workers laid off while in Myanmar earthquake zone: Ex-official

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
6 Apr 2025 08:15

The layoffs come amid the Trump administration’s broader rollback of foreign aid, which has hindered Myanmar's disaster response capabilities.

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Rescue workers stand on the street next to a collapsed building in Mandalay on April 5, 2025, following the March 28 earthquake (AFP)

Three US aid workers were dismissed while on the ground in Myanmar, where they were assisting with rescue and recovery efforts following the country’s devastating earthquake, Reuters reported, citing a former senior staffer.

The layoffs come amid the Trump administration’s broader rollback of foreign aid, which has hindered Myanmar's disaster response capabilities.

Marcia Wong, a former deputy administrator at the US Agency for International Development (USAID), told Reuters that the three workers had traveled to Myanmar but were informed late this week that they would be laid off.

"This team is working incredibly hard, focussed on getting humanitarian aid to those in need. To get news of your imminent termination - how can that not be demoralising?" Wong said.

President Donald Trump's administration has pledged at least $9 million in aid to Myanmar after the 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which has claimed around 3,500 lives. However, sweeping budget cuts to USAID have impaired Washington’s response efforts, even as countries such as China, Russia, and India have mobilized quickly to deliver assistance.

Rain is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis and creating additional challenges for relief operations in Myanmar, where state media reported on Sunday that the death toll from the earthquake has climbed to nearly 3,500.

In recent weeks, the Trump administration has moved to dismiss nearly all USAID personnel, with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency—tasked with reducing federal spending—terminating contracts and slashing funds across agencies, branding the effort as a crackdown on “wasteful spending”.

Wong noted that the three workers currently remain in the earthquake zone, sleeping outdoors due to aftershock fears and continued building instability, adding that their terminations are expected to take effect in a few months.

She said she learned of the layoffs through current USAID contacts following an all-staff meeting held on Friday. According to former USAID staff, most personnel who would have coordinated the US response to the earthquake have already been dismissed, and third-party implementing partners have also lost their contracts.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking Friday in Brussels, denied claims that Washington’s response to the March 28 earthquake was delayed due to USAID’s downsizing.

Rubio stated that Myanmar presents a particularly difficult operating environment, noting that the country’s military government “does not like the United States” and obstructs US operations. The United Nations has also accused the junta of restricting humanitarian aid access.

Rubio added that the United States will no longer serve as the world’s leading humanitarian donor, urging other wealthy nations to contribute more to Myanmar’s relief efforts.