U.S. Plans to Rename USAID and Implement Blockchain Technology

According to PANews, the Trump administration is considering renaming the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the United States International Humanitarian Assistance Agency (IHA) and placing it under the direct supervision of the Secretary of State. This information comes from a memo circulating among U.S. State Department staff, initially reported by Politico. The memo outlines plans to incorporate blockchain technology into the agency's procurement processes as part of the restructuring. It states that all allocations will be protected and tracked using blockchain technology to significantly enhance security, transparency, and traceability. This approach aims to encourage innovation and efficiency among implementation partners and allow for more flexible and responsive project designs focused on actual impact rather than merely completing activities and inputs. However, the memo does not specify whether this involves using cryptocurrencies or stablecoins for cash transfers or simply employing blockchain ledgers to track aid distribution. The details of how blockchain will be integrated remain unclear.