US Pacific commander to advocate most strongly for USAID to Pacific Islands

WASHINGTON – The head of US forces for the Indo-Pacific, Admiral Samuel Paparo, said on April 9 he would be advocating “most strongly” for the continuation of US funding to the Pacific Islands region, where America’s influence is being contested by China.

Asked at a congressional hearing if the United States was missing opportunities with the Trump administration’s assault on the US Agency for International Development (USAid) and by not using the US Coast Guard to full effect in the Pacific Islands, Adm Paparo told the House Armed Services Committee: “USAid aid is under review, and I’ll be advocating most strongly for that aid for all of the countries, and the Coast Guard provides a critical role in the South Pacific.”

On whether China would fill the vacuum created by the rollback in aid, Adm Paparo said “China sees these opportunities, and they seize them”.

USAid, the US government’s main agency for foreign assistance, has been a prime target of billionaire Elon Musk’s moves to slash US government spending. Mr Musk is a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump.

Since February, most USAid staff have been put on administrative leave, hundreds of contractors have been fired and more than 5,000 programmes terminated, disrupting global humanitarian aid operations on which millions depend.

The head of US forces in Africa, General Michael Langley, said last week that China was working to exploit the dismantling of USAid activity on the African continent. REUTERS

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