The United Nations' World Food Program (WFP) has announced the closure of its southern Africa office following aid cuts from the Trump administration. The decision comes as a result of a more constrained donor funding outlook, prompting the WFP to accelerate efforts to streamline its operations. The WFP will consolidate its southern and East Africa operations into a single regional office in Nairobi, Kenya, leading to the closure of the southern Africa office in Johannesburg.
Despite these changes, the WFP reassured that food programs will continue to serve vulnerable communities. The agency remains committed to ensuring the effectiveness and efficiency of its operations in addressing hunger and meeting the needs of those in crisis.
Last year, the WFP received $4.4 billion in assistance from the United States, comprising half of its total annual budget. The recent announcement by the Trump administration to terminate 90% of USAID's foreign aid contracts has halted $60 billion in spending on humanitarian projects globally.
The aid cuts come at a critical time for southern Africa, which faced its worst drought in decades last year, endangering 27 million people with hunger. The WFP had already issued a call for $147 million in donations to support those in need even before the U.S. aid reductions.
The WFP, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization, provides food assistance to over 150 million people in 120 countries worldwide. The impact of the U.S. aid cuts extends beyond the WFP, affecting other U.N. agencies such as the International Organization for Migration and the UNFPA.
While many U.N. aid agencies are still assessing the repercussions of the aid cuts, uncertainties remain regarding the continuation of certain programs and projects. The WFP's decision to close its southern Africa office underscores the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations in the current funding landscape.
