For decades, foreign assistance from the United States, especially USAID, brought a sense of certainty to African economies. That certainty came at a cost.
Aid helped address urgent challenges. It built hospitals, distributed vaccines, and provided food during crises. It saved millions of lives and helped shape entire sectors of healthcare and humanitarian response. But what was meant to be a catalyst for development too often became a permanent fixture. Dependency became the norm. Structural reforms were delayed. Many lost sight of the original goal: financial sustainability.
Today, the aid landscape is changing, with Africa being the hardest hit. US budgets for the region are shrinking or disappearing altogether. Programs are winding down. Governments and development agencies are grappling with a difficult question: where will the money come from now?
This is a painful moment. In Somalia, for example, more than 4.5 million people are expected to suffer from hunger and food shortages before the end of Ju ne . Aid is still critical to addressing humanitarian crises.
But it is also a wake-up call. Africa must now pivot from dependence toward sustainable, investment-based capital that fosters growth, accountability, and dignity. No single government or global institution will step in to fill the gap left by declining aid. And that, perhaps, is the silver lining.
