Pool Photo The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has terminated its Covid-19 cash transfer programme in Uganda. The US embassy there said the decision followed the Ugandan government’s indefinite suspension of GiveDirectly, a non-profit organisation that was conducting the programme. “In light of this indefinite suspension, it is now unlikely that the programme will meet its original objective, which was to prevent Covid-19 related economic backsliding of the most vulnerable Ugandans,” the embassy said in a statement. “Therefore, we are obligated contractually to terminate the program permanently.” The programme was to benefit 120,000 Ugandans who lost livelihoods because of the coronavirus pandemic. Each beneficiary was to receive 100,000 Ugandan shillings ($26; £20) every m...
Following President Donald Trump’s telephone conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari on efforts to defeat Covid-19 in Nigeria, the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Berth Leonard, has restated the United States government’s promise to stand in solidarity with Nigeria to defeat the deadly virus. Ambassador Berth who said this at a teleconference with journalists, Tuesday May 12, 2020, stated that President Buhari was the first African Head of State that President Donald Trump spoke with on issues concerning the deadly virus that is ravaging the world noting that the US government is very pleased to work with Nigeria to see the end of the pandemic. She also disclosed that about 237 million USD had been expended on Covid-19 activities with Africa continent and about 32.8 million USD already...