Despite various parties questioning the objectives of United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded and non-governmental organisations (NGO)-implemented projects in Sri Lanka, which have come to a halt with the new US administration’s decision to halt USAID funding, the National NGO Secretariat has not taken any decision to probe USAID-funded projects, sources said.

Sources familiar with the matter noted that monitoring such projects is also a process that encounters practical issues, due to many organisations implementing USAID-funded projects having registered under the Companies Act, instead of the Voluntary Social Service Organisations (Registration and Supervision) Act. Entities registered under the latter as NGOs come under the purview of the National NGO Secretariat, which enables monitoring, while entities registered under the former legislation cannot be monitored by the secretariat in the same manner.

The sources further said that the secretariat however is in possession of a list of USAID-funded projects and the implementing organisations, although no specific probe will be launched especially in a context where these projects have come to a halt.

In addition, it is reported that the secretariat’s request for a meeting with the USAID, which was conveyed last week to the USAID administration, is yet to be entertained.

Newly-elected US President Donald Trump’s administration earlier this year decided to provisionally halt all USAID funding provided to foreign countries leaving many USAID-funded projects in an uncertain situation.