Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs It is a specialized, independent, non-profit media network that observes and follows up the Somali humanitarian scene
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MOGADISHU — Somalia’s fragile recovery has been dealt a blow after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced a temporary suspension of $125.5 million in aid. The decision, which excludes funding for Israel and Egypt, threatens to unravel critical development projects and worsen the plight of millions of vulnerable Somalis.
The announcement comes just months after the U.S. and Somalia signed a $68.5 million agreement to advance economic reforms, healthcare, education, and women and youth empowerment—the initiative aimed to educate over 150,000 Somali children and rehabilitate more than 200 classrooms. In December 2024, USAID pledged an additional $29 million to combat food insecurity and malnutrition, focusing on communities struggling with climate shocks and dwindling food supplies.
“These programs were lifelines for so many,” said a senior Somali official, who requested anonymity. “The aid suspension is a setback we cannot afford.”
The freeze has also disrupted USAID’s recently announced five-year development projects, valued at $28 million, designed to build sustainable livelihoods and strengthen local resilience. For a country where nearly 70% of the population lives below the poverty line, the aid suspension raises concerns about worsening hunger, stalled education reforms, and the collapse of community health programs.
Somalia’s heavy reliance on international aid underscores the gravity of the decision. The country’s leaders and aid organizations are scrambling to find alternative funding sources while urging the U.S. government to reconsider. Observers warn that the suspension could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis, as climate change, food insecurity, and ongoing conflict strain Somalia’s fragile systems.
Between October 2024 and January 2025, USAID’s financial commitments to Somalia totalled $125.5 million. The abrupt halt in funding risks derailing current projects and casts uncertainty over the future of U.S.-Somali partnerships.
The aid suspension comes as part of Trump’s America First agenda, which seeks to align U.S. foreign assistance with national security interests. In an internal memo to USAID staff, senior official Ken Jackson emphasized that the freeze marked “a complete halt” in funding, with waivers requiring high-level approval. Nearly 60 senior USAID employees were placed on administrative leave for allegedly resisting the order, illustrating the administration’s rigid enforcement of the directive.
Humanitarian organizations, caught off guard by the abrupt freeze, warn of dire consequences. Programs that provide school lunches in Liberia, HIV treatments in Zimbabwe, and crisis hotlines for veterans in Ukraine are among those affected. “It’s a cruel and dangerous decision,” said Abby Maxman, president of Oxfam America. “Millions of lives are at stake as these critical services grind to a halt.”
Source: HOL Origin: view original
