Overview

• The U.S. government has permanently terminated nearly all USAID funding, impacting critical health, hunger, and humanitarian programs in over 130 countries.
• South Africa, which has the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate globally, faces the closure of 44 U.S.-funded health projects, threatening treatment access for vulnerable populations.
• The cuts have led to the suspension of HIV/AIDS treatment, tuberculosis services, and vaccine trials, with activists warning of increased infections and deaths.
• Humanitarian organizations report widespread layoffs, shuttered clinics, and halted operations, leaving millions without essential services in regions like Sudan, Somalia, and Afghanistan.
• The Trump administration cites alignment with U.S. foreign policy and budgetary efficiency as reasons for the cuts, while critics argue the decision undermines global stability and human rights.