The administration of US President Donald Trump on Tuesday moved to reinstate at least six recently cancelled foreign aid programmes, sources said.
USAID acting administrator Jeremy Lewin, who is also an employee of billionaire Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, asked staff in an internal email to reverse the terminations.
The programmes that he asked to restore were the World Food Programme awards in Lebanon, Syria, Somalia, Jordan, Iraq and Ecuador, sources said.
Reuters reported on Monday that the Trump administration had ended life-saving aid programmes for more than a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia and Syria, totalling more than $1.3 billion.
"Sorry for all the back and forth on awards," Mr Lewin said in the internal email. "There are a lot of stakeholders and we need to do better about balancing these competing interests – that’s my fault and I take responsibility."
The reversal followed pressure from inside the administration and from Congress, sources said, and after the UN's WFP said the closure of the programmes could be "a death sentence" for millions.
The cuts have been the latest piece of the Trump administration's drive to dismantle USAID, the main US humanitarian aid agency. The administration has cancelled billions of dollars in foreign aid since the Mr Trump began his second term on January 20.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
