Brussels, Belgium — The Belgian government has called on the United States to stop plans to destroy a massive stockpile of contraceptives worth $10 million, most of which were meant for women in sub-Saharan Africa.
The contraceptives — including implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs) — were purchased under the Biden administration through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
They are unexpired and ready for use but have been left in storage since President Donald Trump’s administration shut down USAID earlier this year as part of a sweeping rollback on foreign aid.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said on Friday, September 5, 2025, that his country is working “through diplomatic channels” to convince Washington not to waste the supplies.
“We regret the change in US policy, but at the very least, what has already been purchased should reach the women who need it most,” Prévot told AFP.
The contraceptives are currently stored in a warehouse in Geel, Antwerp province, under poor storage conditions, according to Belgian officials.
Prévot also denied media reports that the products had been sent to France for incineration, stressing that Belgium is still trying to negotiate a solution with US authorities.
The Trump administration has been dismantling US foreign aid programs, cutting billions in humanitarian funding, and reversing many policies from the Biden era.
Last month, the White House confirmed that the contraceptives would be destroyed, claiming they no longer fit within the new foreign policy approach.
Earlier this week, however, a US federal judge blocked the administration from letting $4.9 billion in aid funds expire without being spent, raising new legal questions about the destruction of already-purchased medical supplies.
Health experts and aid groups warn that destroying the contraceptives will have severe consequences for women in low-income countries, where access to family planning is already limited.
United Nations officials say millions of women rely on international donations for birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and maternal deaths.
The Belgian region of Flanders has also confirmed that any destruction of the stockpile on its territory would require a special exemption from its ban on incinerating medical supplies — an exemption that has not been requested.
The dispute highlights the growing tensions between Washington and its allies over Trump’s foreign aid policies. For now, Belgium says it will continue pressuring the US to allow the contraceptives to be delivered to Africa, where aid agencies say they could make a life-saving difference.
