This is a move that may result in a significant reduction in US development assistance to Africa.
According to the US State Department, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for R226 billion ($12 445 billion) of USAID's 2024 spending obligation, which Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) perceived as wasteful government expenditure.
The decision has sparked widespread debate, with Rwandan President Paul Kagame criticising the use of aid as a tool of control. "Aid to developing countries has been weaponised and used to create dependency," Kagame stated.
Nicolette Naylor, Chief Executive Officer of Ubuntu Global Philanthropy & Gender Justice, expressed concern over the abrupt withdrawal. "I think it's unfortunate and a very sudden and irresponsible withdrawal. The way it's happening is a shock to the system, and it’s going to affect a lot of countries in the Global South, particularly on the continent of Africa," Naylor said.
She acknowledged longstanding criticisms of the aid model but stressed the need for a balanced perspective. "We shouldn't romanticise this aid like it was perfect. It was creating and fostering dependence on the continent. We've been critiquing the development agenda for decades, arguing that it doesn't respect African agency and leadership."
Naylor highlighted efforts by some African nations to reduce reliance on foreign aid. "Ten years ago, African heads of state were already calling for an investment model over a dependence model. South Africa and Kenya have been at the forefront of reducing dependency on HIV/AIDS funding, with South Africa now funding 80% of its programme and Kenya 60%. This shift wasn't driven by USAID but by African governments."
She also reflected on the broader implications of the US decision. "We’re in a new geopolitical moment where we've lost that sense of global solidarity.
Countries like the US are retreating and looking inward, which has far-reaching consequences for Africa."
As the continent grapples with the consequences of the sudden withdrawal, the conversation has reignited calls for a more sustainable development model that empowers African nations to take control of their own futures.
--ChannelAfrica--
