UK Aid Cuts Deal Fresh Blow to Africa

African countries are bracing for a funding squeeze after Britain announced plans to slash foreign aid spending by 40 percent, a move set to hit children’s education, women’s health and agriculture projects across the continent.

The UK government said on Tuesday it would prioritise funding for multilateral agencies like the World Bank and continue humanitarian work in crisis regions including Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

But officials confirmed that bilateral aid to developing countries, including those in Africa, will face the deepest cuts.

The decision comes just months after the Trump administration ended key USAID programmes that had supported Africa’s health and agriculture sectors, adding pressure on governments already struggling with debt and climate shocks.

Many African countries depend on external funding for critical services, with donor support covering nearly half of health budgets in nations such as Malawi and Uganda, and providing crucial cash for agricultural inputs in countries facing food insecurity.

“We are extremely concerned about the ripple effects on women’s health programmes and education for girls, which have relied heavily on UK aid,” a senior government official in Nairobi said.

 

The UK’s aid cuts follow its 2021 decision to reduce its commitment from 0.7 percent of national income to 0.5 percent, citing fiscal constraints.

Critics argue that the latest round of reductions could reverse gains in child immunisation and maternal health, and hurt efforts to tackle malnutrition and climate adaptation across Africa.

Britain’s Foreign Office said the country would continue to “play a key humanitarian role” and defend its global commitments, but did not provide specifics on how much would be allocated to African countries under the reduced budget.

Analysts warn that with the US pulling out and the UK now tightening aid, African countries may face wider funding gaps, forcing them to either divert limited domestic revenues or scale back key programmes in health, education and agriculture.

ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org