The ripple effects of US foreign aid cuts to food and water access across North Africa

This article is part of an MEI research initiative examining the complex interplay between food security, governance, political stability, and economic development in North Africa and the Sahel. The project brings together a diverse range of perspectives with grounded views of local realities and their global implications through a series of articles, policy papers, and a final report.
 

When Executive Order (EO) 14169, “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” was issued and implemented by the administration of President Donald Trump in early 2025, it effectively halted nearly all US foreign aid. The order primarily suspended the disbursement of non-military aid programs, leading to the termination of US-funded assistance projects, contracts, and employment across the world. The impact of this abrupt elimination of foreign aid was especially acute for humanitarian and development programs, crippling those targeting food assistance, clean water access, public health, and agricultural support.

Countries in North Africa have traditionally been direct recipients and beneficiaries of US foreign aid programs, generally administered through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) or the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). In addition to bilateral assistance, foreign aid also reaches North Africa indirectly through international organizations and development agencies that receive significant funding from the United States, such as the various agencies and committees of the United Nations. A number of these foreign-funded programs are specifically aimed at improving access to adequate food and clean water, particularly in areas that are highly vulnerable to chronic food insecurity and water scarcity. Collectively, these programs play a vital role in addressing hunger, supporting sustainable agriculture, and improving public health conditions in resource-stressed regions. The sudden withdrawal of this critical support threatens to strain and undermine the capacity of North African nations to manage a number of food and water-related challenges.

The withdrawal of US foreign aid from North Africa not only jeopardizes critical food and water security initiatives in the region but also poses significant risks to US strategic interests. Prolonged resource insecurity can contribute to political instability, heighten the risk of conflict, and drive displacement and migration, developments that often may necessitate more costly US security interventions. Moreover, foreign aid serves as a key tool of US soft power, strengthening diplomatic relationships, fostering regional stability, and countering the growing influence of rival powers. In this context, sustained investment in development programs is not only a humanitarian priority but also a pragmatic component of US foreign policy.

Humanitarian Aid: Sudan

Recent foreign aid to Sudan has largely been centered on humanitarian and food assistance, as a consequence of the ongoing civil war plaguing the country since April 2023. The war has triggered a state of widespread famine, where more than half of the country’s population faces acute hunger and malnourishment. In 2024, the US was the largest single donor to Sudan, both through USAID and the UN’s Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan. Yet, the $126 million in aid originally committed to Sudan in 2025 has been frozen due to EO 14169. The results have been immediate and devastating: More than 1,000 emergency communal kitchens in Sudan have ceased operations, pushing a fragile population further into starvation and famine-induced mortality. Similarly, reduced funding from the US to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is curtailing services that provide access to clean and safe water for over half a million displaced people in Sudan.

Food for Progress

A number of countries in North Africa have been beneficiaries of the Food for Progress program, which is managed by USDA and focuses on promoting agricultural development and trade in developing countries. It works by providing US agricultural commodities to recipient nations, which are then sold locally to fund projects that improve agricultural productivity, support market development, and strengthen rural economies. The aid funding that North Africa receives from this program constitutes a significant portion of its budget. In fact, between FY 2018 and FY 2024, the value of commodities awarded to North Africa accounted for nearly a third (approximately 29%) of the total value of commodities awarded globally under this program during that period. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, Egypt was awarded funding support estimated at $12.8 million, while Sudan received 300,000 metric tons of hard red winter wheat, as the sole program recipient in FY 2021, valued at around $120 million. More recently, in FY 2023, Mauritania was a recipient of 60,000 metric tons of wheat with an estimated value of $36.15 million. In FY 2024, Tunisia was awarded 35,000 metric tons of yellow soybeans worth some $24.85 million. However, after initially being paused because of the EO, existing awards of the Food for Progress program were cancelled by USDA. While this effectively terminates Tunisia’s active program award this fiscal year, existing awards going as far back as 2018 may have also been cancelled, jeopardizing previously awarded commodity support for Egypt, Sudan, and Mauritania.

McGovern-Dole Food for Education

Similar to Food for Progress, the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition program is another food aid initiative funded by USDA. The program combats hunger and supports early education in low-income, food-deficit countries by providing US agricultural commodities along with financial and technical aid. It funds school feeding and nutrition projects that improve literacy, boost school enrollment and performance, and promote child health, starting as early as during pregnancy and continuing through early childhood. Mauritania became a participant in this program when $22.5 million from USDA was awarded to reduce hunger, improve health, and strengthen primary education through a five-year project (2019-24) called “The Future is Ours” that served 209 local schools. In 2022, USDA awarded Mauritania a second five-year, $28.5 million project (2022-27) called “Bridging the Future” intended to expand the efforts of the original project to 111 new schools. During the years in which Mauritania received these awards (2019 and 2022), their value accounted for 13% of the total annual value of all awards distributed by the program. The most recent terminations of projects under this program by USDA have likely sidelined this second project expansion in Mauritania, putting at risk the health and nutrition of over 72,000 children across the country.

UNICEF: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Among the major global initiatives that the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) champions to advance the health and safety of children and youth are its Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) programs. UNICEF adopts a systemic approach to WASH by working with governments to strengthen policies and improve service delivery. Moving beyond stand-alone projects, UNICEF helps shape national reforms by generating evidence, supporting innovation, influencing policy, and mobilizing resources to ensure broader and more sustainable impact. One notable example of UNICEF’s application of this approach is its involvement with the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Global Partnership, a UN-hosted initiative dedicated to achieving universal access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene. In North Africa, UNICEF’s outreach and advocacy efforts have led to the enrollment of Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, and Mauritania in this global partnership. Unfortunately, following US foreign aid cuts that are projected to reduce UNICEF’s funding by at least 20%, UNICEF WASH programs and initiatives in North Africa face significant risk of being curtailed and underfunded. According to UNICEF, these funding cuts are expected to put nearly 15 million mothers and children worldwide at risk of severe malnutrition, significantly increasing the likelihood of higher child mortality due to insufficient access to food, clean water, and sanitation.

Consequences of cuts to foreign assistance for the United States

The sudden withdrawal of US foreign aid marks a turning point with profound implications for the United States’ global influence and North Africa’s development. Such a withdrawal diminishes American soft power by weakening diplomatic ties and regional stability, creating opportunities for rival powers to expand their influence. Maintaining aid is therefore essential not only for humanitarian reasons but also to preserve US leadership and strategic interests in the region.

The United States’ strategic gains from the provision of foreign aid in the form of food and water in North Africa are especially evident in Egypt. In addition to longstanding military assistance, Egypt has been a key recipient of agricultural and food aid through USAID. Since 1978, USAID has invested more than $1.4 billion in Egypt’s agriculture sector to enhance productivity, modernize irrigation, and improve farmer livelihoods. These investments have not only supported Egypt’s food security but have also strengthened bilateral ties. In return, the US has secured a reliable geopolitical partner that advances American interests through counterterrorism cooperation and by promoting regional stability across the Middle East and North Africa.

Without sustained support for food security, clean water, and public health, many people in North Africa living in poverty face increased risks of hunger, disease, and mortality. Agricultural productivity could decline, rural communities may suffer, and gains in child nutrition risk being reversed. In the absence of these stabilizing forces, the region could experience growing social and economic pressures. Looking forward, North African nations will need to strengthen domestic capacities and forge new partnerships to fill the gap left by US aid, or risk falling further behind in meeting development goals.

Mohammed Mahmoud is the CEO and founder of the Climate and Water Initiative as well as the lead for Middle East Climate and Water Policy at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health. He was previously the founding director of MEI's Climate and Water Program. His areas of expertise include climate change adaptation, water policy analysis, and scenario planning.

Photo by John Falchetto/AFP via Getty Images