United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday warned of information received this week by UN agencies, as well as many humanitarian and development non-governmental organizations (NGOs), about severe cuts to humanitarian and development funding by the United States. The consequences, he said, will be particularly devastating for vulnerable people around the world.
The announced radical funding slashes come at a time when global crises are intensifying, with millions of people at risk of hunger, disease and displacement.
„These cuts impact a wide range of critical programs. From lifesaving humanitarian aid, to support for vulnerable communities recovering from war or natural disaster,” Guterres told journalists at UN Headquarters in New York.
“From development, to the fight against terrorism and illicit drug trafficking. The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world.”
Citing several examples, the Secretary-General warned that in Afghanistan, more than 9 million people will miss out on health and protection services, with hundreds of mobile health teams and other services suspended.
“In north-east Syria, where 2.5 million people need assistance, the absence of US funding means programs are leaving large populations even more vulnerable,” he added.
“In Ukraine, cash-based programming — a key feature of the humanitarian response, reaching one million people in 2024 — has been suspended in key regions. In South Sudan, funding has run out for programs to support people who have fled the conflict in neighboring Sudan, leaving border areas dangerously overcrowded.”
The United States has also stopped funding many programs to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera worldwide.
Guterres said the United Nations and many other organizations have been extremely grateful for “the leading role the United States has provided over the decades”.
“For example, thanks to the generosity of donors — led by the United States — the UN assists and protects more than 100 million people every year through our humanitarian programming. From Gaza to Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine and beyond,” he noted.
“American funding directly supports people living through wars, famines and disasters, providing essential health care, shelter, water, food and education — the list goes on”.
Appealing to the US administration to reconsider the funding cuts, the Secretary-General warned that reducing America's humanitarian role would have far-reaching consequences, not only for those in need, but also for global stability and security.
“Now going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe and less prosperous. The reduction of America’s humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interests globally,” Guterres stressed.
He expressed hope that these decisions could be reversed based “on more careful reviews”, adding that “the same applies to other countries that have recently announced reductions in humanitarian and development aid. “
“Our absolute priority remains clear. We will do everything we can to provide life-saving aid to those in urgent need. And we will continue our efforts to diversify the pool of generous donors who support our work,” the Secretary-General said.
Responding to questions from journalists on Friday, Guterres' spokesperson added that the International Organization for Migration's programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had essentially ceased, and that IOM's programs in Haiti were at risk.
“Our FAO [Food and Agriculture Organization] colleagues received 27 termination letters, and the list goes on,” Stéphane Dujarric said.
The UN spokesman reported that the Secretary-General spoke on the phone Friday morning with the heads of the UN's main humanitarian and development agencies “to express his solidarity, but also to get a vision, to get a good picture, snapshot of what is going on, which is not a positive one in any way.”
Dujarric added that UN agencies are in contact with their counterparts in the US government, “if they can find them.”
Extreme funding cuts to humanitarian aid by the United States are beginning to have a devastating impact around the world, putting hundreds of thousands of lives at risk and leaving tens of millions or more without access to the assistance they desperately need.
For years, the United States has been the largest single donor in terms of humanitarian funding, followed by the European Union as a whole and by Germany in particular. Last year, the US accounted for more than 40 percent of global humanitarian funding tracked by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In contrast, Germany, the second-largest single donor, provided $2.7 billion, or about 8 percent of global funding. The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, also contributed about $2.7 billion, or around 8 percent.
Even before the recent events, the global humanitarian system was facing a massive funding crisis after years of growing needs and donors unable or unwilling to respond to those in need. For years, the United States has led the world in humanitarian giving.
Since February, the US government has sought to dismantle the world's largest government development and humanitarian aid agency, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The move came weeks after the new US administration imposed a near-total halt to US foreign assistance, affecting USAID operations and foreign assistance funded by or through the US State Department, with some vague exceptions for humanitarian funding.
NGOs have previously warned that the loss of USAID-supported services and other US funding will affect millions of the world's most vulnerable people, create a humanitarian disaster, and cause long-term, irreparable harm.
Further information
Full text: Secretary-General's remarks to the press, United Nations, published February 28, 2025
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2025-02-28/secretary-generals-remarks-the-press-please-scroll-down-for-arabic