Cry for help from the world: Massive cuts in development aid are alarming!

Cry for help from the world: Massive cuts in development aid are alarming!

These days the situation in the global south is becoming increasingly precarious. The World Food Program (WFP) is forced to cut its aid offers in view of the sharp decline in financial commitments. With a 40 percent decrease in funding this year, it will become even more difficult for many people in need to receive support. UN representative Frick points to the tense situation in crisis regions such as Sudan, Uganda, Yemen and Afghanistan, where the challenges of basic humanitarian aid become clear. How Deutschlandfunk reports, the ability to help people directly is becoming more and more limited.

The current financial crisis does not only affect the WFP. The UNHCR is also closing contact points for displaced people and many aid organizations are affected by dramatic financial cuts. These developments should be viewed against the backdrop of the upcoming UN Conference on Financing for Development, which will take place in Seville from Monday. A new global financial framework is to be negotiated there in order to achieve the sustainability goals. N TV reports that other wealthy countries such as Great Britain, France and the Netherlands are also drastically reducing their development funds. This comes at the same time as the US already made significant cuts under the previous administration of Donald Trump.

Financial cuts and their consequences

The federal government has decided to make further cuts in the development budget for 2025. According to reports, the budget for the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will be reduced by around 940 million euros. This represents a decline of more than 50 percent in humanitarian aid efforts abroad. The German Foundation for World Population points out that this trend not only endangers immediate offers of aid, but also endangers the achievement of the UN sustainability goals in the long term. Up to 300 million people worldwide rely on humanitarian aid, and the repeated cuts represent a dramatic step backwards.

A detailed overview of the planned cuts shows that, among other things, the World Food Program will only receive 28 million euros. >This will have a massive impact on relief operations, warns VENRO managing director Åsa Månsson, describing the cuts as “cold-hearted” and endangering millions of lives.

Criticism and scope for action

The reactions to these cuts are clear. Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan has emphasized the federal government's “painful requirements,” but the question remains whether Germany can continue to live up to its role as a reliable partner in the international aid context. The President of “Bread for the World”, Dagmar Pruin, is also disappointed with the reactions to the high number of armed conflicts worldwide.

Nevertheless, there is hope for change. The draft budget will be discussed in the Bundestag after the summer break, and amendments could possibly lead to adjustments. A look at current developments shows how urgent it is to secure support for people in need. Any savings could ultimately result in high costs and enormously limit Germany's scope for action to combat poverty and hunger.