Our Global Humanitarian System is Collapsing

Understanding the ripple effect of the US foreign aid freeze

Workers load WFP food aboard a barge in Renk, South Sudan, bound for Sudan. WFP/Peter Louis

When a man-made or natural disaster strikes, aid agencies must turn to donors, hat in hand, to fundraise for the response. This includes UN agencies like the World Food Programme and UNICEF, as well as international NGOs like the International Rescue Committee and Save the Children. Over the years, the UN has established a mechanism to consolidate these appeals through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

It’s a relatively straightforward and streamlined process: agencies outline their needs, and donors pledge funds to support the response. Historically, the United States has been the largest single donor, accounting for about 40% of all emergency humanitarian relief funding.

But now, that funding has been abruptly cut.

The consequences of this decision have been profound, both for the people who rely on humanitarian assistance and for the professionals who have dedicat…