The sharp withdrawal of USAID support is putting millions of lives at risk across Africa — but it also presents a clear call to action. Now is the moment for African governments, businesses, and high-net-worth individuals to show leadership, invest boldly in local solutions, and help secure the continent’s future on its own terms.
In countries where we live and work, the U.S. Agency for International Development cuts threaten to reverse efforts to combat malaria in Mali and HIV/AIDS in South Africa, leading to widespread illness and death. In countries like Senegal, the cuts mean the end of critical health programs, such as training for health care providers on maternal and neonatal care and the procurement of essential medical equipment. And in places such as Gambia, the cuts risk the country’s transitional justice process and may derail it, leaving victims without justice, undermining accountability and threatening other governance issues, including human rights.
Activists and development advocates across the continents have been raising the alarm about these outcomes. At the same time, we recognize that along with the benefits of foreign aid, came many harms. This included the use of foreign development assistance to impose agendas insensitive to local realities, exorbitant management costs, and the neglect of local players.