Secretary Rubio Says State Department Disaster Response Better Than USAID

 UMVA posted on 19 December 2025 an article titled "Rubio Explodes: Disaster Response Saved Despite Biden's Chaos!"

Secretary of State Marco Rubio justified the State Department's ability to manage disaster relief programs following the dismantlement of USAID by citing its recent response to the category 5 hurricane in Jamaica.  The State Department sent disaster assistance response and urban search and rescue teams and provided $1 million in assistance.  

Comment:  The US response to the hurricane in Jamaica has been relatively modest.  In the meantime, the United States has pulled back sharply from humanitarian disasters in places like Sudan.  The jury is still out as to the capacity of the State Department to replace the disaster response record of USAID but count me a skeptic.

Facts About US Foreign Aid

 The Pew Research Center published on 6 February 2025 a fact sheet titled "What the Data Says about U.S. Foreign Aid" by Drew DeSilver.

As the Trump administration dismantles USAID, this fact sheet summarizes how and where U.S. foreign aid has been used.  

Turkey's Focus on Somalia

Daily Sabah published on 22 March 2015 a summary titled "Turkish Model in Somalia Focus of Daily Sabah's London Panel" of a discussion on Turkey-Somalia relations held at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

The panelists commented that Turkey is especially appreciated in Somalia because its involvement is based on business and not counterterrorism or engagement in local politics.  Turkey also takes risks that other countries are unwilling to take.  Finally, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has taken a personal interest in the relationship. 

The Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research published in October 2014 a major study titled "Turkey's Involvement in Somalia: Assessment of a State-Building in Progress" by Mehmet Ozkan, who described Somalia as "a novelty" in Turkish foreign policy.