Amid growing controversy over USAID funding in Sri Lanka, the government has requested a report from the National NGO Secretariat, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala confirmed yesterday.

The minister stated that he would address allegations regarding USAID funding and had instructed the NGO Secretariat, which operates under his ministry, to provide a detailed report.

The issue follows a decision by the U.S. administration, under President Donald Trump, to impose a 90-day pause on foreign aid distributed through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The U.S. government spends approximately $40 billion annually on foreign aid, a sum larger than the GDP of several U.S. states. The State Department has emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in overseas spending.

As a result of this decision, projects worth Rs. 21 billion, managed by organizations registered with the NGO Secretariat, have been halted. However, no official report has been issued on funds directed to NGOs operating outside the Secretariat. Currently, 625 NGOs are registered with the Secretariat, while many others operate under the Companies Act.

In 2023, the U.S. government, through USAID, provided $46 million to the FAO to help address Sri Lanka’s fertilizer crisis and offered humanitarian aid during the country’s economic downturn.

Despite this, allegations have surfaced that USAID funds were also used for controversial initiatives, including the promotion of LGBTQ rights and efforts to unseat former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The ‘Coalition Against Partition of Sri Lanka’ has been leading protests against USAID over these claims.