US Election 2024

Biden administration pressuring African country to adopt lax abortion laws in exchange for foreign aid: report

President Biden’s administration is reportedly applying pressure on the government of Sierra Leone to liberalize its abortion policies in exchange for foreign assistance. The African nation currently prohibits abortion in most cases, but a bill pending in parliament seeks to legalize the procedure. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a U.S. government agency responsible for allocating funds, is said to be threatening to withhold hundreds of millions in aid if Sierra Leone does not pass the abortion law, as per a former senior U.S. government official.

In late September, MCC CEO Alice Albright signed an agreement with Sierra Leone’s finance minister, Sheku Bangura, for $480 million in foreign assistance. The agreement stipulates that Sierra Leone must adhere to the MCC’s strict criteria for good governance, anti-corruption efforts, and democratic rights to receive the funds. The MCC monitors Sierra Leone’s compliance with these standards regularly.

Despite reports of this pressure campaign, the MCC has denied any attempts to influence Sierra Leone’s abortion policies. The organization clarified in a statement to Fox News Digital that they are unaware of any specific abortion legislation in Sierra Leone and have not made any demands related to it.

The office of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who chairs the MCC’s board of directors, has not commented on the matter. Social media footage showed pro-life demonstrators protesting inside Sierra Leone’s parliament while lawmakers debated the abortion legislation. Activists in the country allege that President Julius Maada Bio dismissed his attorney general last week for refusing to advocate for the abortion law, appointing a new AG who supports the legislation.

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Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., criticized the reported pressure tactics by the Biden administration, stating that it is troubling to see foreign aid being used to advance an abortion agenda. Smith has previously accused the administration of leveraging foreign aid programs like PEPFAR to promote abortion in African countries.

PEPFAR, launched in 2003 under President George W. Bush, aims to combat HIV/AIDS globally. Smith claimed that the Biden administration has redirected PEPFAR funds to organizations like Population Services International (PSI) and Village Reach, which have a history of advocating for abortion rights. PSI, for instance, offers abortion services in multiple countries and actively campaigns against pro-life laws.

In conclusion, the reported pressure on Sierra Leone to change its abortion laws in exchange for foreign assistance has sparked controversy and raised concerns about the use of aid money to promote a specific agenda. The Biden administration’s alleged actions have drawn criticism from lawmakers like Rep. Chris Smith, who view it as an unwarranted interference in another country’s internal affairs.

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