International aid cuts lead to security disasters beyond poverty
Warning of International Aid Cuts
In early 2025, Achim Steiner, the UNDP representative, warned at the Davos Forum about the seriousness of cuts to international aid. The cessation of billions of dollars in aid could lead to not just a poverty issue, but also to the collapse of the humanitarian system and a global security crisis. We are witnessing how policy decisions regarding budget cuts are exacerbating global instability.
Collapsing Alliances and an Unstable World Order
After World War II, Official Development Assistance (ODA) became a crucial pillar symbolizing 'global solidarity' for poverty eradication, health improvement, human rights protection, and conflict prevention. However, in recent years, this solidarity has been rapidly weakening. According to OECD statistics for 2024, the total amount of development aid from member countries decreased by 7.1% compared to the previous year. This is akin to a de facto abandonment of the '0.7% aid of GDP' principle that developed countries had promised. The aid cuts from major countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France are causing structural risks beyond mere numerical declines. The United States has halted most of the budget for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), while the United Kingdom has reduced its ODA ratio by more than half citing economic recovery post-pandemic. Germany and France have also focused on domestic issues following support for Ukraine, leading UN agencies to plead that they can barely maintain basic humanitarian services.
Ripples of National Instability and Security Crisis
The reduction of international aid directly threatens the survival foundation of developing countries. As of 2024, more than 300 million people worldwide rely on humanitarian assistance, and about 60 million are surviving on aid food daily. In countries like Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen, international aid is responsible for operating hospitals, conducting school classes, and providing drinking water. If aid is cut off, it can lead to the withdrawal of medical staff, a halt in vaccine supplies, and reductions in food distribution in refugee camps, which in turn can result in social instability, violence, crime, and a resurgence of extremism. The Sahel region is a notable example. Following the reduction of counter-terrorism expenditures and cuts in official development assistance (ODA) by European countries, armed groups have resumed activities in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, accompanied by successive military coups and anti-government protests. This demonstrates that international aid serves not just as a development issue but as a 'geopolitical safety net' that maintains a country's political and social stability.
The human suffering hidden behind the numbers
The numbers are clear, but the human suffering behind them is even heavier. By mid-2024, an NGO operating in the Tigray region of Ethiopia warned that the lack of medical supplies could lead to the deaths of thousands. In the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh, reduced aid has led to decreased food distribution, and school support programs have been halted. A representative from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) expressed concern that hunger is drawing children back into the cycle of armed conflict. In East Africa, the rate of child marriage for girls is rising again, symbolizing a retreat in health, education, and women's rights issues.
Investment for Collective Safety, Not Charity
Some countries justify aid cuts as 'fiscal efficiency' or 'national priority,' but international aid is not a one-sided charity it is the foundation for long-term global stability and economic cooperation. Reductions in aid lead to increased refugees, deepening trade imbalances, the resurgence of infectious diseases, and the spread of climate disasters, ultimately harming developed countries as well. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated this.
New Development Cooperation System and Realignment of International Politics
The politicization of aid is a more serious issue than the scale of aid itself. Selectively supporting specific countries or regions based on political or strategic interests, or choosing projects that pursue only short-term outcomes, distorts the essence of aid. Aid should be consistent, long-term, and focused on the needs of recipient countries, and international organizations should establish transparent and effective distribution systems.
Conclusion: A World That Withdraws Its Hands Becomes Unstable
The international community stands at a critical crossroads. A world that does not extend a hand will be filled with distrust, crisis, and division. In contrast, the path of restoring solidarity and cooperation will alleviate inequality and instability, ensuring a future where all global citizens can be safe together. International aid is not a choice but a commitment for humanity to survive together. The challenge before us is whether to uphold or betray that commitment.
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