KEY POINTS
- WFP closed its Southern Africa office due to funding shortages.
- An El Niño-induced drought has worsened hunger in the region.
- U.S. foreign aid cuts have severely impacted humanitarian programs.
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) plans to shut down its Southern Africa regional bureau because it lacks enough financial support.
The decision emerges as Southern Africa confronts a massive drought affecting millions who need food support.
The U.S., which contributes nearly half of WFP’s budget, has significantly cut foreign aid, affecting essential humanitarian programs worldwide.
While WFP has not specified the exact financial impact of these cuts, spokesperson Tomson Phiri acknowledged that donor funding had become “constrained,” forcing the agency to consolidate its operations.
Despite the closure of the regional office, WFP emphasized that country-specific operations in Southern Africa would continue.
The agency will now oversee both Eastern and Southern Africa from its Nairobi office in a move aimed at optimizing resources. “The goal is to stretch every dollar and target maximum resources to our frontline teams,” Phiri stated.
Drought worsens food security crisis
The El Niño drought caused massive destruction in Lesotho as well as Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia, resulting in entire nations declaring disasters. The drop in agricultural production placed millions at risk of facing starvation.
According to Reuters, the WFP had already been struggling with insufficient funding for drought relief, securing only 20 percent of the resources needed to respond to last year’s crisis.
The bureau shutdown triggers doubts about how the organization will administer future humanistic operations, given the ongoing drought-induced food deficit situation.
WFP currently uses over 60 percent of its procured food supplies within the purchasing regions, so effective distribution depends on local operations.
After the Southern Africa office shutdown, experts anticipate difficulties that might affect aid distribution times to vulnerable populations in need.
Impact of U.S. aid cuts on humanitarian efforts
The WFP’s budget took a major hit following the U.S. government’s decision to reduce foreign aid as part of its “America First” policy.
The U.S. contributed $4.5 billion of WFP’s $9.8 billion budget last year, making it the agency’s largest donor.
The Trump administration’s decision to slash over 90 percent of USAID’s foreign aid contracts and cut more than $58 billion in global assistance has disrupted funding for numerous UN-led humanitarian programs.
The financial pressures have made the WFP take necessary action as they continue delivering essential food and monetary aid but face tough choices.
The organization keeps searching for different funding sources, yet continued global crises create difficulties in maintaining stable donor commitments.
The increasing hunger crisis of Southern Africa requires immediate interventions from government agencies and private donor institutions who must cover the depleted funding requirements.
Millions of people will experience food scarcity unless immediate action takes place in the coming months.
