Millions of dollars’ worth of US-funded contraceptives which have been sitting in storage for months in a Belgian warehouse face destruction amid a controversy over whether they can be spared for distribution to the needy.
The stash is reported to include more than 50,000 intrauterine devices, nearly two million doses of injectable contraceptives, and more than two million packets of oral birth control, and is being kept in the small city of Geel near Antwerp.
The contraceptive products were originally intended for distribution to lower-income countries by the now dismantled United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Following the dissolution of USAID – whose aim was to improve health, reduce poverty, and promote human rights and democracy in low-income nations – many international projects and partnerships have been abandoned.
The US government’s current plan for the contraceptives left in limbo in Geel is to incinerate them—despite their expiration date being between 2027 and 2031.
This isn’t the first time the American government has opted for such a drastic solution. After budget cuts, food rations capable of feeding 3.5 million people for a month were reportedly left to rot in warehouses around the world, as documented by Reuters.
The decision to destroy the contraceptive supplies has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups.
“It’s the height of hypocrisy for a government to preach efficiency and cutting waste, only to turn around and recklessly destroy life-saving supplies when the need has never been greater. This isn’t just inefficient — it’s unconscionable,” said Micah Grzywnowicz, regional director of International Planned Parenthood Federation’s European network.
IPPF publicly offered to collect the supplies from Geel, repackage them in its warehouse in the Netherlands, and distribute them to women in need across the globe, “all at no cost to the US government”, according to Grzywnowicz.
Several other organisations, including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the global charity MSI Reproductive Choices, have also expressed willingness to purchase or redistribute the stockpiles. All offers have reportedly been rejected by the Trump administration.
The Belgian government also confirmed to Euronews it is in contact with the US embassy in Brussels.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is exploring all possible avenues to prevent the destruction of these stocks, including their temporary relocation,” a spokesperson told Euronews.
As the supplies are reportedly set to be removed to France for destruction, politicians from the French Green Party, Les Écologistes, have appealed to President Emmanuel Macron to intervene.
“We cannot allow Donald Trump’s anti-choice agenda to unfold on our territory. And so today, France must mediate with the Commission,” MEP Mélissa Camara (France/The Greens), one of the signatories of the letter, told Euronews.
She added that the destruction of these contraceptives would endanger women around the world, especially in Africa, the original destination of the supplies.
Camara has also addressed a separate letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other members of the Commission, including Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, whose portfolio includes sexual and reproductive health and rights.
A spokesperson told Euronews that the European Commission had “taken note of the letters and acknowledge the concerns raised”.
They added that the EU remains strongly committed to promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), including family planning, and that investment in SRHR is a key contributor to social and economic development.
“We continue to monitor the situation closely to explore the most effective solutions,” the spokesperson said.
