The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Monday the closure of its southern African bureau, citing funding shortages. The WFP, which relies heavily on U.S. contributions, is facing financial constraints as the U.S. reduces foreign aid, a policy shift aligned with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda.
The United States typically provides nearly half of WFP’s annual funding, but foreign aid cuts under Trump’s administration have significantly impacted global assistance programs.
WFP regional spokesperson Tomson Phiri explained that operations in eastern and southern Africa will be merged and managed from Nairobi. He assured that this change would not disrupt aid efforts in Southern Africa, where the agency is currently assisting millions affected by drought.
“We are aiming to optimize every dollar and direct as much support as possible to our frontline teams,” Phiri stated.
While Phiri refrained from directly linking the office closure to the reduction in U.S. aid, he acknowledged the agency’s increasingly limited funding options. Under Trump’s administration, the U.S. has slashed over 90% of foreign aid contracts through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), totaling more than $58 billion in cuts worldwide.
