Global Aid Efforts Crippled as US Freezes Foreign Assistance
BANGKOK/NAIROBI:
Humanitarian organizations worldwide have been forced to shut down operations, lay off workers, and halt critical relief efforts—including support for malnourished children—due to the suspension of US foreign aid, a new survey of 246 aid groups has revealed.
The United States, the world’s largest contributor to humanitarian assistance, provided approximately $14 billion in aid last year. However, as part of his “America First” policy, President Donald Trump imposed a 90-day freeze on most government-funded aid programs last month and initiated the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), calling its leadership “radical lunatics.”
The International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), a global network of relief organizations operating in around 160 countries, reported that these cuts have had a severe impact on vulnerable communities. According to the survey, two-thirds of participating organizations have experienced setbacks, ranging from downsizing operations to completely halting aid programs.
“The global humanitarian framework is being dismantled,” the ICVA warned in its report released Tuesday. “Therapeutic feeding centers have been forced to shut down, putting the lives of malnourished children and pregnant women at severe risk.”
The US State Department has yet to comment on the situation. The ICVA report did not disclose the names of organizations affected by the aid cuts, but its membership includes major humanitarian agencies such as Save the Children, World Vision, and Care.
While Washington has issued limited waivers to allow for essential aid, relief organizations say that funding remains inaccessible due to bureaucratic hurdles. According to five current and former USAID officials, agency staff are unable to access the payment system, delaying crucial disbursements.
“These waivers are meaningless,” said one source familiar with the situation.
One Africa-based aid organization reported that over 1,500 HIV-positive individuals have lost access to life-saving treatment, while another revealed that 3,250 orphans and HIV/AIDS patients have been deprived of school support and essential nutrition programs.
As the aid freeze continues, millions of vulnerable people worldwide face worsening conditions, with relief agencies struggling to keep vital programs running.
