US projects frozen in Kazakhstan after Trump’s decree, details still unknown

Kazakhstan will pause programs implemented in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for three months due to an executive order recently signed by President Donald Trump. However, the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan has not yet disclosed which specific projects will be affected.

On Jan. 20, President Trump issued an executive order temporarily suspending all U.S. development aid programs to foreign countries for 90 days. During this period, the new administration will assess whether such aid aligns with U.S. policy objectives.

On Jan. 26, the U.S. Department of State confirmed the suspension of USAID funding.

When asked by Kursiv.media which programs would be frozen, the U.S. Embassy in Astana provided no specifics, stating that the decision was made to allow a review of all foreign aid.

«As noted in [the U.S. Department of State] Spokesperson Bruce’s statement, we are conducting a deliberate and judicious review of how we spend foreign assistance programs to ensure they are effective and consistent with U.S. foreign policy. The Department and USAID take their role as stewards of taxpayer dollars very seriously. The Embassy will provide additional information when it is available,» the response said.

Meanwhile, Diana Okremova, head of the Legal Media Center in Kazakhstan — an organization partnered with USAID that supports and trains journalists — told the Orda.kz news portal that they had not yet received any official notice regarding a suspension of funding.

«We have not received any notifications that our funding will be halted or frozen. The organization’s work will not be significantly affected by the absence of USAID funding, as the media center engages in commercial activities and has other sources of financing,» Okremova said.

However, it is already confirmed that the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan has suspended the English language program for journalists, halting all regular classes and extracurricular activities until further notice. Additionally, as of Jan. 26, the Embassy’s grants program has also been put on hold.

USAID in Kazakhstan plays a key role in advancing the U.S. government’s strategic initiatives, particularly in education, health, energy, environmental protection and democracy. Following Trump’s decree, the following programs could be suspended for three months:

• Environmental and economic initiatives led by USAID in Kazakhstan.
• Health programs, including tuberculosis prevention and healthcare system development.
• Grant programs supporting civil society.