The UN World Food Program (WFP) is closing its office in Johannesburg, South Africa, following significant cuts to US foreign aid under the Trump administration. This decision is part of a broader restructuring that merges the WFP’s southern and East Africa operations into a single regional office in Nairobi, Kenya.
WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri confirmed the restructuring, noting that the agency had begun reorganizing in 2023 but had to accelerate these efforts due to declining donor funding. Despite the closure, Phiri assured that food assistance programs in southern Africa would continue, emphasizing the WFP’s ongoing commitment to vulnerable populations.
In 2024, the US contributed $4.4 billion to the WFP, covering roughly half of the agency’s annual budget. However, US aid reductions, driven by Executive Order 14169, which suspended 230 foreign assistance contracts, have put significant pressure on humanitarian efforts. This order, which halts foreign aid unless it aligns with US foreign policy, has caused disruptions in programs worldwide, including those in Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Myanmar.
The impact of these cuts is particularly severe in southern Africa, which is grappling with one of the worst droughts in decades. The WFP estimates that 27 million people in the region face hunger due to the crisis. Prior to the aid cuts, the WFP had appealed for $147 million to address the drought’s effects.
The cuts have drawn criticism, with legal challenges and backlash from human rights organizations and foreign policy experts. Meanwhile, US Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN) has initiated impeachment proceedings against a federal judge who issued a temporary restraining order to block the aid freeze, arguing that it interferes with presidential authority over foreign policy.
Sources: UN World Food Program, Associated Press, US Congressional Reports
UN Photo on Flickr by Logan Abassi
