Additional Context: This information is based on 150 semi-structured interviews conducted by One Earth Partners across five countries selected to represent the diversity of USAID's environmental work. Interview findings were triangulated with a global survey of 175 respondents and external media analysis.

According to One Earth Partners, USAID was on the verge of ensuring the full operationalization of the 2017 Protected Area Management Rules, a legislative framework designed to ensure that revenue generated within protected areas would be reinvested directly back into local communities. Although the overarching rules were adopted in 2017, they could not actually be executed without formal guidelines or Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to manage the financial fund-sharing. Through USAID's facilitation, these SOPs were successfully drafted, officially reviewed by the Forest Department, and were sitting on the Secretary's desk awaiting a final signature for approval.

While the withdrawal of USAID did not directly impede the signing of these processes, the external pressure that was once applied has now evaporated. As of June 2026, One Earth Partners notes that these rules may still be adopted, but that the timeline has drastically slowed down.

Source: One Earth Partners (Full report forthcoming).