The US plans to cut aid funding to the countries of Central Asia in 2025, despite the declared intentions to develop relations with the region. This was acknowledged by Anjali Kaur, deputy assistant director of the Agency for International Development (AID), which is part of the State Department.
„The US administration's budget request for fiscal year 2025 is $176 million. This is $18.9 million, or 10% less than was allocated in fiscal year 2023,'' said the text of her opening statement prepared for hearings before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
At the same time, Kaur notes that for South Asia, excluding Afghanistan and Pakistan, the US executive branch is requesting $480.2 million in fiscal year 2025. That's up $18.2 million ( 4%) more than previously allocated from the federal budget in fiscal year 2023, a USAID representative specifies.
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu said at the same hearing that “America's number one priority in Asia is building partnerships in the Indian and Pacific regions”. " Our number two priority is to build on the interaction that took place last year between US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Central Asian countries at the summit in New York, Lu said. According to him, in Central Asia there is “fierce competition from the US with China and Russia”.