trump's aid freeze sparks humanitarian crisis in africa
President Trump's decision to freeze humanitarian aid for Africa has instigated a crisis across the continent. Millions are experiencing severe shortages of food and medicine, while the situation in education and healthcare is rapidly deteriorating.
What do you need to know?
- USA aid freeze: Two months ago, President Trump suspended the USA's involvement in international humanitarian aid for Africa, triggering a crisis across the continent.
- Education crisis: Schools are facing a severe shortage of teachers, threatening the future prospects of young people, as highlighted by Morris James, a teacher from South Sudan.
- Health threat: The closure of USAID has led to the shutdown of many children's hospitals in Somalia and widespread job losses in the Ethiopian health sector.
Dire consequences of the USA aid freeze
The Spanish agency EFE reports that the decision by President Trump to freeze humanitarian aid for Africa has had dire consequences. Morris James, a teacher from South Sudan, highlights that the lack of teachers in schools jeopardises the future of the youth. Following the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), food and medicine supplies have been drastically reduced.
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In Kenya, the Finnish aid organisation FCA might be compelled to dismiss half of its 330 teachers, raising the number of students per teacher from 100 to 230. Binyam Gebru, director of the Somali branch of Save the Children, reports that three out of four children's hospitals in Somalia have been closed.
Ongoing humanitarian crisis in Africa
In Ethiopia, which was the largest recipient of USAID, over 5,000 medical workers have lost their jobs. Zimbabwe is short of approximately £13 million monthly to maintain its medical facilities. John Kaseya, Director of the African Union's public health agency, warns that an additional two to four million deaths annually may occur due to diseases that were previously manageable.
Catherine Kyobutungi from the African Population and Health Research Centre warns about the potential collapse of public education. The South African Institute of Strategic Studies predicts that the number of Africans living in extreme poverty will rise by 5.7 million in the upcoming year. Non-governmental organisations are urgently seeking alternative funding sources to counter the effects of this situation.
