Caritas Internationalis chief issues aid plea to Trump

Feb 19, 2025

The head of Caritas Internationalis, the Catholic Church’s global humanitarian aid wing, has urged the Trump administration to consider the situation of millions of people affected by the sudden closure of USAID.

“I just wish that the US government would give more consideration to the degree of negative effects caused by the decision over millions of people,” said Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, president of Caritas Internationalis.

Cardinal Kikuchi, who also serves as archbishop of Tokyo made the remarks in a carefully worded email statement, The Tablet Catholic weekly reported on Feb. 17.

Kikuchi called for due diligence in sudden policy changes, especially when they impact millions of people around the world.

“Making any drastic change in policy, especially a policy affecting millions of vulnerable people all over the world, should be done with caution and concern for the precious gift of God -- human dignity,” Kikuchi emphasized.

The US is the world’s biggest provider of foreign aid, topping US$71 billion in 2023, The Tablet reported. However, the per capita aid provided by the US is much lower in comparison to other nations.

According to the Our World in Data website, the net official development assistance (ODA) given by the US was US$189.59 per person in 2023. In contrast, Norway tops the list with US$1,161.39.

Kikuchi while giving the Trump administration the benefit of the doubt, said that USAID’s closure could be a move to correct a probable situation of corruption existing in the system for the good of the people.

“We want to believe and hope that the decision made by the present US government is also based on such intention to better serve its own people,” Kikuchi said.

He appealed to the US administration to at least honor the commitments that have already been made “since they were part of long-term plans and operations.”

Catholic and other Christian agencies have helped feed millions of hungry people affected by famine and war and have resettled refugees. Much of the USAID money has gone to fighting HIV and AIDS, Kikuchi noted.

Caritas Internationalis is a Vatican-based confederation of 162 national Catholic relief, development and social service agencies that operate in more than 200 countries and territories around the world.

The US bishops' Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA are members of the confederation.

American aid specialists fear that the cuts threaten the charities’ existence. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) received 64 percent of its almost $1.5 billion in funds from the government in 2022, The Tablet reported.

Kikuchi, while agreeing that dependency on foreign aid should be minimized and that global south countries must be self-reliant for funding and managing their operations, called for mutual international support in the current scenario.

“Present international relations and effects of environmental degradation require mutual support and assistance, especially for emergency relief and assistance to protect all life,” Kikuchi said.

In a Feb. 13 teleconference, more than 100 members of Carias Internationalis gathered to discuss the present situation, Kikuchi noted.

“It seems no one knows exactly what will come about,” Kikuchi said pointing towards the grim situation that charities face due to funding cuts.

On Feb. 3, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man acting as President Trump’s unelected special government employee, remarked on social media that he and his aides had “spent the weekend feeding USAID into the woodchipper.”

On Feb. 2, Musk had called USAID a “criminal organization.”--ucanews.com