The United States’ disaster response work — which for years was led by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs, or BHA — has been overtaken by the State Department’s office that handles refugee issues, a bureau less than 10% the size of BHA.
“The goals, characteristics, and types of assistance provided in response to humanitarian emergencies remain the same,” reads an internal cable, which was obtained by Devex on Wednesday. “Assistance will continue to be delivered consistent with U.S. foreign policy priorities under the America First agenda.”
The shift took place on May 16, coming well before the full integration between the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department on July 1. To activate a response, posts must issue a declaration of humanitarian need, consult with relevant regional bureaus, and receive approval from the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, or PRM, in Washington.
About the author
Elissa Miolene
Elissa Miolene reports on USAID and the U.S. government at Devex. She previously covered education at The San Jose Mercury News, and has written for outlets like The Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, Washingtonian magazine, among others. Before shifting to journalism, Elissa led communications for humanitarian agencies in the United States, East Africa, and South Asia.
