In a recent announcement, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed deep concern over the severe funding cuts that have been notified to many U.N. agencies, humanitarian and development organizations by the United States this week. Guterres warned that these cuts will have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable people in the world and urged the Trump administration to reconsider their decision.
According to Guterres, going through with these cuts will not only make the world less healthy and safe, but it will also have a negative impact on American interests globally. He urged the United States, along with other countries that have announced reductions in humanitarian and development aid, to reconsider their decisions after a more careful review of the programs.
The U.N. chief did not disclose the specific amount of funding that the U.N. and its agencies will lose, but he did mention that the United States is the largest single donor in terms of humanitarian funding, providing over $14 billion in 2024. This accounts for just over 40% of the total contributions, while the second-largest contributor, Germany, provided only $2.7 billion, or about 8% of global funding.
These cuts are a result of the Trump administration’s efforts to drastically reduce government costs, which included the shutdown of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and a change in the long-standing U.S. foreign policy that viewed humanitarian aid as a form of soft power that was in the country’s national interest.
As a result, many international aid agencies are now struggling to keep their programs running. Guterres stated that U.N. staff in the field are taking urgent measures to protect as much of their life-saving work as possible.
He also gave some examples of where the U.S. cuts would have a significant impact on the provision of critical services. In Afghanistan, over 9 million people will miss out on health and protection services, with hundreds of mobile health teams and other services being suspended. In South Sudan, funding has already run out for programs supporting people who have fled the war in neighboring Sudan. And in Ukraine, cash-based humanitarian assistance has been suspended in key regions.
Despite these challenges, Guterres emphasized that their top priority remains providing life-saving aid to those in need and diversifying the pool of generous donors who support their work. He also mentioned that every United Nations agency is ready to provide the necessary information and justification for their projects and looks forward to working with the United States in this regard.
However, the U.N. spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, stated that the agencies had received termination letters from the U.S. authorities, and there seems to be a lack of interest from U.S. officials in engaging on this issue. Some of the agencies that have received termination letters include the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Office for Migration (IOM), and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The spokesperson also highlighted the impact these cuts would have on specific programs, such as the closure of UNODC’s office in Mexico, which deals with the flow of fentanyl and their programs in Central America and the Darien Gap that focus on fighting human trafficking.
In another concerning development, the United States has also terminated its agreement with UNAIDS, which provides life-saving HIV treatment around the world. This decision follows the recent move by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to continue funding UNAIDS while the U.S. foreign assistance review was ongoing and other international assistance was paused.
UNAIDS stated that this decision would have a serious impact on the entire HIV response, including the continuity of life-saving services for people living with and affected by HIV, civil society, and their partners. Since 2003, through its PEPFAR program, the United States has saved over 26 million lives by investing in critical HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support programs in 55 countries.
In response to these developments, Rubio has stated that all foreign aid must align with the America First agenda, making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous. A State Department spokesperson also stated that over 9,100 foreign assistance-related grants worth over $15.9 billion have been reviewed, with more than 4,100 grants worth nearly $4.4 billion being identified for elimination. This accounts for a 28% reduction in total grant value.
The spokesperson also added that USAID reviewed 6,200 multi-year awards
