The United States government has enacted a temporary freeze on funding to USAid, its primary agency for humanitarian assistance, sparking a global crisis. For the next 90 days, critical supplies of life-saving medicines will remain inaccessible, affecting millions. Over 11.7 million women and girls stand to lose access to contraceptive care during this period, potentially leading to an estimated 8,340 deaths from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. The aid freeze is causing chaos across numerous countries, with escalating risks of disease and famine as aid organizations struggle to maintain operations.
USAid, which managed over $40 billion in funding in 2023, plays a crucial role in international humanitarian efforts, with the US accounting for 40% of global humanitarian aid spending. The suspension of funds has disproportionately impacted vulnerable populations, including children, women, and girls. In Africa, malaria-control programs in Uganda are facing severe cutbacks, resulting in the closure of vital frontline care projects. In Colombia, where decades of conflict and drug-related violence have left many reliant on USAid support, the freeze has left organizations scrambling for alternatives.
"Without naming countries or areas, we have had to close life-saving services, for children with acute malnutrition, and also testing and treatment sites for health facilities, nutrition facilities and wash facilities," one aid worker stated.
In Nepal, a girls' education project has been forced to shut down, increasing the risk of child marriage and trafficking. The American aid freeze has also stifled projects funded by the US HIV/Aids response program, Pepfar, particularly in Johannesburg. This situation is further compounded by hundreds of thousands of children who now go without school meals as food supplies rot due to halted aid.
"If this goes forward, it really is an extinction-level event for the global aid sector in the US and for much of the global relief and development sector around the world," remarked Jeremy Konyndyk, president of Refugees International and a former USAid official.
The freeze has prompted widespread criticism from aid organizations and governments worldwide. Many have called for the US to reconsider its decision and resume funding. A spokesperson for a leading international aid organization reported that medical supplies are stranded in warehouses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Sudan.
"Partners on the ground [are saying] that in DRC and Sudan, medical supplies are stuck in warehouses," the spokesperson added.
The ramifications of this funding halt extend beyond immediate health crises. Dawie Nel, director of an LGBTQ+ clinic in Johannesburg named Out, described the US as "a totally unreliable partner." In Colombia, a major international aid organization director highlighted that those already without a safety net would bear the brunt of this decision.
"The people who this is going to affect the most are those already without a safety net. Precisely those who are least able to find another source of food, shelter or income," emphasized the director.
Juan Manuel Santos, Colombia’s former president and Nobel peace prize laureate, expressed concern over the sudden withdrawal of USAid support.
"I have seen the massive benefit these programmes funded by USAid have generated for people across the country. To cut it, suddenly, is going to have a terrible humanitarian effect," said Santos.
Amidst the global outcry, there is considerable misinformation surrounding the aid freeze. One humanitarian official noted that organizations are making critical decisions without adequate information.
"All payments are frozen for these projects. There’s a lot of misinformation. Organisations are having to make decisions in a vacuum," said the official.
The Guttmacher Institute has warned that maternal and child mortality rates could see a significant rise due to the interruption of aid. This prediction underscores the urgent need for a resolution to this crisis.