International aid has plunged sharply in 2025. Reports confirm that global assistance has dropped by as much as 17 percent, marking the steepest decline in three decades. The cuts are already being felt in conflict and disaster zones, from Gaza to Afghanistan and Sudan. Millions of people now face uncertain futures, with hunger and preventable deaths rising at alarming rates.
Shrinking Global Funding
According to OECD data, official development assistance (ODA) fell between 9 and 17 percent in 2025, following a 9 percent drop in 2024. McKinsey estimates this translates into a loss of $41 to $60 billion compared to 2023. Bloomberg highlights that restructuring at USAID, alongside donor nations prioritizing defense budgets, is one of the major causes of the funding gap.
This decline is more than numbers on paper. Humanitarian groups such as the Crisis Group warn that the cuts have created an immediate crisis on the ground. “Lives are on the line,” said Comfort Ero, CEO of Crisis Group, emphasizing that reduced funding is cutting off vital lifelines for vulnerable communities.
UNHCR Forced to Slash 20 Percent
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) announced a 20 percent budget cut starting in 2026. Annual funding will shrink from $10.2 billion to $8.5 billion. The consequences are stark: nearly 4,000 staff are being let go, several regional offices will be shut down, and about 11.6 million refugees risk losing direct aid.
This is already straining refugee camps across Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Families who were barely surviving now face the possibility of losing access to even the most basic services.
Afghanistan’s Support Collapses
Afghanistan has been among the hardest hit. U.S. aid through USAID has collapsed from $3.8 billion in 2022 to just $767 million in 2025. The impact became clear when a powerful earthquake struck the western region. Dozens of clinics shut down, emergency services failed, and thousands of survivors were left without proper medical care.
Reuters reported that disaster response in Afghanistan has ground to a halt without international funding. Communities have been left to rely on local volunteers with almost no resources.
Malnutrition Crisis Grows
The global malnutrition crisis is worsening. USAID halted purchases of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a key treatment for acute child malnutrition. As a result, food supplies sit idle in warehouses while clinics shut their doors due to lack of funding. Wired reported that as many as 14 million preventable child deaths could occur if the crisis continues.
Groups such as MSF and WFP warn that hunger now threatens millions of children in Somalia, Haiti, and Sudan. The closure of nutrition centers and community kitchens has left families without access to vital food.
Sudan’s Humanitarian Collapse
Sudan, already torn apart by civil war, has seen devastating effects from aid cuts. The Guardian reported that 80 percent of community kitchens in conflict zones have shut down. This has worsened famine conditions and raised the risk of mass death.
The political situation in Sudan is also deteriorating. Aid cuts not only deepen the humanitarian disaster but also weaken fragile peace efforts that rely heavily on international support.
International Organizations Demand Action
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) stressed that funding must be directed to crisis states. IRC President David Miliband said that at least 50 percent of the global aid budget should be allocated to conflict countries, instead of the current 25 percent.
Despite the warnings, major donor nations are prioritizing domestic spending. The United States, the UK, and France have slashed foreign aid allocations to boost defense budgets and plug fiscal deficits.
What Comes Next?
The crisis raises a critical question: who will fill the gap if traditional donors withdraw? Some analysts suggest countries like China and Saudi Arabia could step up. Yet, there is still no clear global mechanism ready to replace the scale of funding once provided by the U.S. and the EU.
Humanitarian organizations are calling for an emergency summit to redesign the global aid system. Without swift action, mass hunger and the collapse of essential services could become a reality within months.
Conclusion
The 17 percent cut in international aid in 2025 has triggered a devastating domino effect worldwide. Refugees are losing shelter, children are slipping into malnutrition, and disaster-struck communities are left without help.
This crisis is a warning that global solidarity is under strain. Without urgent international action, the world could face a humanitarian catastrophe of historic proportions.
Discover more from Olam News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
