Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the cancellation of more than US$38 million in foreign aid grants, including funding for a project aimed at increasing accountability in Uzbekistan’s cotton industry. This was reported by the head of the department, Lori Chavez-DeRemer.

"In my first day on the job, I pledged that American workers would be our top priority. Under President Trump's directive, we immediately began fulfilling this commitment. Last week, the department terminated several foreign aid grants, saving more than US$38 million," Chavez-DeRemer said in a video message posted on social media platform X.

She noted that taxpayer funds had previously been allocated to programs such as improving transparency and accountability in Uzbekistan’s cotton sector, supporting climate initiatives in Brazil and Colombia, strengthening collective bargaining in Indonesia and Guatemala, and monitoring labor standards in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. "Simply put, we are eliminating programs that put America last," the U.S. Labor Secretary emphasized.

The "Enhancing Transparency and Accountability in Uzbekistan’s Cotton Industry" project was launched by the U.S. Department of Labor in August 2022 and was originally set to run until December 2026. According to the department’s website, its goal was to improve working conditions and prevent forced labor in the sector by strengthening the capacity of workers and employers to comply with international labor standards.

In 2022, the project was allocated US$2 million, with an additional US$1 million scheduled for disbursement in 2025.