After a 64-year run, the United States’ foreign assistance, administered through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has come to a permanent end.
This decision has triggered concern across the globe, with experts warning that the move could lead to widespread suffering and millions of deaths — particularly in developing countries that have long depended on American humanitarian support.
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, in terminating USAID, stated that foreign assistance will now be administered by the State Department, in a manner that aligns with the Trump administration and advances American interests.
More than 14 million of the world’s most vulnerable people — a third of them young children — could die as a result of the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID.
The closure marks the end of USAID-supported programmes that provided food, healthcare, and essential vaccines, particularly in regions grappling with diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.
In sub-Saharan Africa, where USAID has conducted much of its humanitarian work, the impact is already being felt — with critical programmes disrupted and families left without support.
Kenya is among the countries already bearing the brunt of the decision, facing funding gaps in health, agriculture, and community development projects.
A report published in The Lancet projects that the decision could result in the deaths of 14 million people worldwide. The report highlights that the withdrawal of humanitarian aid will significantly affect the health sector — especially the management and prevention of HIV/AIDS and malaria.
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