USAID shutters after 63 years, leaving Africa at a crossroads

In a landmark shift in U.S. foreign policy, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officially closed its doors on Tuesday (1 July), with all operations absorbed by the State Department.
The decision, driven by President Trump’s executive order and enacted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, marks the end of a 63-year institution central to America’s global humanitarian reach. USAID’s closure hits Africa hardest. Once a vital partner in education, health, and agriculture, the agency delivered $6.5 billion in aid to the continent in 2024 alone. Its programs helped reduce malaria, boost food security, and create jobs through initiatives like Feed the Future and the East African Trade Hub. These gains are now under threat.
Rubio defended the overhaul as an effort to align foreign aid with “national interests,” promising more efficiency and accountability. Yet critics, including former Presidents Obama and Bush and U2 frontman Bono, warned the move would devastate millions. A Lancet study estimates the loss could result in up to 14 million global deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million children under five. At the U.S.-Africa Business Summit, African leaders urged a pivot toward equitable investment partnerships. “It is time to replace the logic of aid with ambition and private investment,” said Angolan President João Lourenço. For Africa, the post-USAID era begins with uncertainty — and urgent calls for redefined, mutual partnerships.