Live Updates: Donald Trump’s Administration Begins Forming with Key Appointments in Progress

The UN Secretary General’s spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, addressed concerns over the nomination of Elise Stefanik as the US ambassador to the UN. The UNFPA, the UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency, is preparing for a potential loss of US funding, as it has been denied financial support by Republican administrations in the past. The agency has been accused of engaging in coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization in China, which it strongly denies. If it loses US funding, women in crisis situations around the world could lose access to life-saving services. In Afghanistan, 13 mother and child health centers reaching nearly 80,000 women and girls could be shut down, and in Sudan, over half a million people may see their access to reproductive health services reduced. The chief of UNFPA’s Washington office, Sarah Craven, is concerned about the loss of both funding and political support, which could lead to a significant setback in global health initiatives and overall engagement. She fears that there could be an entrenchment in funding for global health, impacting not just the UNFPA but other sectors as well.

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