DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The recent decision by the Trump administration to slash over 90% of foreign aid contracts and reduce funding by approximately $60 billion is already sending shockwaves across nations worldwide. Within hours of the announcement, critical programs were forced to close, leaving millions of individuals without vital care services.
On Wednesday, more than 10,000 contracts with the U.S. Agency for International Development were abruptly terminated through letters sent to various non-governmental organizations globally. The letters cited the defunding of programs as a matter of “convenience and U.S. government interests,” shared by a source familiar with the content but speaking anonymously due to lack of authorization to address the matter publicly.
Numerous projects in vulnerable countries heavily reliant on U.S. assistance to sustain health systems, nutrition initiatives, and combat hunger are now facing dire consequences. The cuts will also impact efforts against terrorism, human and drug trafficking, including the opioid crisis, as well as the monitoring and support of migrants, stated U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.
Outlined below are some significant projects worldwide that have been confirmed to cease operations:
1. Action Against Hunger in Congo will cease aiding tens of thousands of malnourished children, putting them at risk of severe harm.
2. In Ethiopia, over 1 million people have lost food assistance, with thousands of health workers focused on HIV and malaria prevention, vaccinations, and supporting vulnerable women being dismissed.
3. Senegal’s major malaria project has ended, halting the distribution of bed nets and medication to thousands, along with maternal and child health services.
4. South Sudan’s International Rescue Committee closed a health and nutrition project benefiting more than 115,000 individuals.
5. The Norwegian Refugee Council’s program in Colombia ceased, leaving 50,000 people without essential support during a humanitarian crisis.
6. In Sudan, communal kitchens that supported half a million people in Khartoum were shuttered by the International Rescue Committee.
7. Bangladesh will see 600,000 women and children lose access to crucial maternal health services and protection from violence.
8. Mali faces cuts in aid impacting over 270,000 individuals’ access to water, food, and healthcare.
9. Northern Burkina Faso has lost essential services including water access for over 400,000 people, with critical support for gender-based violence and child protection no longer available.
According to an aid group that preferred not to disclose their identity due to concerns of potential backlash, a series of humanitarian crises have unfolded in various regions across the globe. In Somalia, it has been reported that 50 health centers serving over 19,000 individuals monthly have been forced to shut down as a result of health workers not receiving their wages, as noted by Alright, a U.S.-based aid organization. Similarly, in Ukraine, cash-based humanitarian initiatives that benefited 1 million individuals the previous year have been suspended, as confirmed by the spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general. Moreover, in Afghanistan, the suspension of hundreds of mobile health teams and essential services has impacted approximately 9 million people, according to the United Nations spokesperson.
The situation exacerbates in Syria, where aid programs serving around 2.5 million individuals in the northeastern part of the country have ceased operations, as reported by the United Nations secretary-general. Furthermore, in the same region, a dozen health clinics, including the primary referral hospital, have closed down, as highlighted by Doctors Without Borders. Moving on to Kenya, over 600,000 individuals residing in drought-stricken areas and facing acute malnutrition are set to lose critical access to life-saving food and nutritional assistance, revealed by Mercy Corps.
In Haiti, approximately 13,000 people have been deprived of nutritional support, according to Action Against Hunger, impacting a total of at least 550,000 aid recipients. Meanwhile, in Thailand, hospitals aiding around 100,000 refugees from Myanmar have been forced to close their doors, as shared by the aid group Border Consortium. In Nigeria, it is anticipated that 25,000 severely malnourished children will no longer receive food aid by April, as projected by the International Rescue Committee.
Shifting focus to the Philippines, a program aimed at enhancing access to disaster warning systems for individuals with disabilities has been halted, disclosed by Humanity & Inclusion. Similarly, in Vietnam, a program providing support to disabled individuals through caregiver training and home-based medical care has been suspended, as communicated by Humanity & Inclusion. Lastly, in Yemen, it has been forecasted that 220,000 displaced persons will lose access to critical maternal health care, protection from violence, rape treatment, and other essential health services, according to the United Nations Population Fund.
This comprehensive report was compiled with contributions from Associated Press writers Sylvie Corbet in Paris, France, Robert Badendieck in Istanbul, Turkey, Evelyn Musambi in Nairobi, Kenya, Thalia Beaty in New York, and Edith Lederer at the United Nations.
