CAPE TOWN, South Africa — The United Nations’ World Food Program (WFP) announced the closure of its office in southern Africa owing to decreased aid from the United States as the result of budget reductions implemented by the Trump administration.
A spokesperson for the WFP, Tomson Phiri, communicated that the U.N. food agency had initiated plans for restructuring its operations over several years, set to commence in 2023. However, due to a tighter donor funding outlook, these plans are being expedited. The decision includes the amalgamation of southern and East Africa operations into a single regional office located in Nairobi, Kenya, leading to the closure of the Johannesburg office.
Despite these changes, Phiri reassured that food programs will continue unabated. “Our dedication to assisting vulnerable populations remains steadfast, with WFP committed to ensuring our operations are both effective and efficient in addressing hunger,” he stated.
Although the exact amount of funding lost from USAID remains undisclosed, it was noted that the U.S. provided $4.4 billion in assistance to the WFP last year, accounting for about half of its total annual budget and far exceeding contributions from other donors, with Germany being the next highest at four times less.
The Trump administration recently declared an end to 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts due to their perceived lack of alignment with America’s national interests, ceasing $60 billion in global humanitarian aid spending. This decision follows a barren period in southern Africa, marked by its most severe drought in decades, which destroyed crops and posed a hunger threat to 27 million people.
Prior to this aid cessation, the WFP had already appealed for $147 million in donations to assist those in need. Globally, the agency provides food assistance to over 150 million individuals in 120 countries, and was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020. Since 1992, the organization’s leadership has consistently been American, with Cindy McCain, widow of former U.S. Senator John McCain, serving as its current executive director.
While specific agencies under the U.N. have largely remained tight-lipped on the specifics of the U.S. aid reductions, some effects are manifesting. The International Organization for Migration, for instance, has reportedly cut 3,000 roles connected to U.S. resettlement, and the family planning agency UNFPA anticipates several of its operations may be impacted.
Numerous U.N. agencies continue to analyze the potential ramifications of these budget cuts and are optimistic about possible waivers that might allow continued U.S. assistance to certain programs or projects.
