US lawmakers warn ending aid to African nations could risk millions of lives

WASHINGTON

Senior Democratic lawmakers urged the State Department to reconsider plans to cut lifesaving assistance to several African countries, warning the move could have devastating humanitarian and security consequences.

Gregory W. Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Sara Jacobs, ranking member of the Africa Subcommittee, led a group of lawmakers in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio following reports that aid could be halted to Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Somalia, and Zimbabwe.

In the letter, the lawmakers pointed to worsening conditions across Sub-Saharan Africa, including hunger, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks, which they say could contribute to as many as 1 million preventable deaths in 2025.

"Further aid cuts would undoubtedly result in even more preventable deaths. In Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, and Niger, the UN estimates that 15 million people are in need of lifesaving aid," they wrote.

The lawmakers said foreign aid is a critical tool for promoting stability and preventing conflict.

They warned that withdrawing aid could create opportunities for terrorist groups, including Al-Qaeda and ISIS, to expand their influence in vulnerable regions.

"Foreign assistance is not merely charity, it demonstrates American leadership," they said.

“Ending humanitarian aid… could result in even worse outcomes, with consequences extending far beyond their borders."