…says trucks had begun removing the contraceptives from the Belgian facility.
FRANCE – The iNews Times reports that the United States decision to incinerate millions of dollars’ worth of contraceptives originally earmarked for vulnerable women in sub-Saharan Africa has triggered a wave of condemnation in France and among global reproductive rights advocates.
The products, including long-acting birth control implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs) were procured under the Biden administration through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) as part of its global health support to underserved populations.
However, the current U.S. government led by President Donald Trump has reportedly ordered the products to be destroyed, despite the fact that they remain within their shelf life. The stockpile, valued at $9.7 million, has been stored in a warehouse in Geel, Belgium.
According to multiple reports, the products are now being transported to France for incineration by the end of July. While the U.S. government has not officially confirmed the move, French women’s rights groups say they have been monitoring the situation closely.
Sarah Durocher, President of the French organization Family Planning, told AFP that trucks had begun removing the contraceptives from the Belgian facility.
“We were informed 36 hours ago that the removal of these boxes of contraceptives had begun,” she said on Thursday. “We do not know their current location or if they have arrived in France. We are urging all incineration companies not to proceed with this senseless destruction.”
French waste management firm Veolia, which holds a contract with Chemonics, USAID’s logistics provider, acknowledged its involvement but insisted the deal only covers expired products – not the active contraceptives in question. Another company, Suez, denied any participation in the planned incineration.
The development has ignited fierce criticism from civil society groups and left-leaning politicians in France, who view the move as a dangerous setback for global reproductive health.
“France cannot become the scene of such operations – a moratorium is essential,” declared a strongly worded op-ed in Le Monde on Friday, co-signed by five prominent NGOs including MSI Reproductive Choices. The article described the U.S. decision as “absurd” and “inhumane.”
Adding historical resonance to the backlash, Charles Dallara – grandson of Lucien Neuwirth, the French lawmaker who legalized the contraceptive pill in 1967 – appeared on national television to call on President Emmanuel Macron to take immediate diplomatic action.
While the Élysée Palace has yet to comment, France’s Ministry of Health has said it is “closely monitoring the situation.”
Meanwhile, public support for intervention continues to rise. A petition launched by feminist groups and labor unions calling for the contraceptives to be saved has garnered more than 10,000 signatures since Wednesday.
Critics say the decision reflects a broader rollback of global health initiatives under Trump’s revived administration, which has cut foreign aid and reintroduced anti-abortion policies with global implications.
For many observers, the potential destruction of still-usable contraceptives destined for some of the world’s most vulnerable populations is not only wasteful, but a humanitarian affront.
