GIJN Urges Restoration of USAID Funds 

The Global Investigative Journalism Network calls upon elected officials in the US — including on the local and state level — to reverse the catastrophic action of withholding USAID funds from independent investigative newsrooms, human rights, health, and humanitarian organizations around the world.

These funds, which help support journalistic investigations into government corruption and malfeasance, have played a critical role in holding autocracies and oligarchies accountable for their rapacious global activities. The attack on these newsrooms and USAID funding by autocrats and oligarchs demonstrates how effective the newsrooms have been in their coverage.

To cut off these funds means investigative newsrooms, such as those in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands will be stymied or completely unable to continue this invaluable reporting.

For example, the work of our members has included:

• Data projects and investigations uncovering possible war crimes and their impact in local communities, including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza;
• Uncovering the involvement of non-state armed groups in the kidnapping business in Africa;
• Revealing illegal deforestation in Latin America and Asia, and its environmental impact;
• Advanced data analysis and reporting that has uncovered illicit money flows, corruption cases, and organized crime operations that affect citizens in all regions.

These courageous editors, producers, and reporters have come under fierce physical attacks and constant online and in-person harassment and far too often have been driven from their countries, imprisoned, beaten, or murdered. As part of those attacks, questions have been raised and accusations made about USAID support and influence.

Our member organizations have shown repeatedly that their reporting has been independent and has come under no pressure from USAID officials or staff — and the results of their investigations show that they report without fear or favor.

These newsrooms are part of our network and are reviewed for transparency and independence before they are granted GIJN membership. They play a crucial daily role in checking the abuses of the powerful and wealthy and the exploitation and subjugation of people by autocratic global and national rulers.

In many cases, these newsrooms provide early warnings of threats to democracy around the world and are the last hope of preserving or restoring democracy and freedom. So, again, we call on elected leaders in the US to review and reverse the withholding of USAID funds from independent investigative newsrooms and to restore those funds.