Doha – The Trump administration’s decision to suspend US foreign assistance is disrupting critical health and humanitarian programs worldwide, with UNAIDS warning that HIV initiatives in multiple countries, including Morocco, face severe setbacks.
The freeze on US aid is part of the administration’s broader dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which began shortly after President Trump took office in January.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) revealed in a feature story today that the funding suspension “is severely affecting several HIV programmes, particularly those implemented by local non-governmental organizations.”
The organization mentioned that this includes initiatives backed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), an American effort operating in Morocco for over 15 years.
The aid freeze comes amid dramatic changes at USAID. On February 23, the Trump administration moved to place nearly all USAID employees on administrative leave globally, with the exception of “designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs.”
Concurrently, the agency announced it was beginning a process to eliminate 1,600 US-based jobs. This followed a federal judge’s ruling on February 21 that allowed the administration to proceed with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job worldwide.
Despite earlier assurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the agency’s “core lifesaving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and substance assistance” would be preserved, dozens of officials in USAID’s humanitarian aid bureau received termination notices over the weekend of February 22-23.
Wide-ranging impact
UNAIDS disclosed that the UN Country Team (UCT) has launched an internal consultation to evaluate the full impact of the US decision on UN-supported programs in Morocco, with results still pending.
The aid suspension extends far beyond HIV services. UNAIDS pointed out that USAID was a key player in financing health prevention efforts, including reproductive health and protection of vulnerable populations.
The agency expressed concern that the funding suspension “jeopardizes efforts to prevent communicable diseases, vaccination campaigns, and emergency responses to health crises such as COVID-19.”
The organization further clarified that US funding that supported crucial epidemiological surveillance has been stopped. Technical support provided by UNAIDS through the Technical Support Mechanism is also at risk, potentially affecting programs funded by the Global Fund.
UNAIDS articulated additional concerns for prevention programs targeted at migrants and refugees, which were supported by IOM and UNHCR, as well as harm reduction initiatives led by UNODC.
Beyond health services, UNAIDS voiced concerns about the post-earthquake recovery program in Al Haouz, which was financed by USAID and implemented with UNICEF. This initiative designed to support earthquake victims by promoting economic integration for women and youth is now at risk of discontinuation.
The organization also declared that recently allocated $2.5 million in funding for UN agencies (IOM, UNODC, and ILO) to combat human trafficking is now compromised. These funds were intended to strengthen victim protection mechanisms, establish shelters, train government actors, and provide healthcare services including HIV prevention and treatment for migrants.
Hundreds of educational programs targeting children in precarious situations and youth at risk of dropping out are now threatened, UNAIDS asserted. The agency mentioned that USAID previously funded vocational training and apprenticeship initiatives that offered young people opportunities for economic integration.
For many Moroccan NGOs, USAID was the primary donor. UNAIDS stressed that the loss of this support has placed social projects in education, women’s empowerment, rural development, and health at serious risk.
Measurable impact on local organizations
A survey by Mobilising for Rights Associates (MRA) between February 4-16 provides concrete evidence of the immediate impact in Morocco. Stephanie Willman Bordat, founding associate of MRA, disclosed that 53% of Moroccan NGOs surveyed had to cancel planned activities due to the funding freeze.
The survey also revealed that 25% of organizations are now struggling to pay staff salaries, while 22% reported difficulties covering basic operational costs such as rent and utilities. Additionally, 11% of respondents stated they had been forced to lay off personnel.
MRA’s survey found that 19% of Moroccan associations have not been reimbursed for expenses incurred before the January 24 order, while 17% reported payment suspensions for expenses after that date.
At the global level, Serena Simeoli, a Humanitarian Aid Adviser to the Military at the Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance, expressed concerns about the termination. “The work that we do matters, and we won’t know how much it matters until we’re presented with another catastrophic disaster,” she told ABC News.
Another former BHA official, a former Marine who requested anonymity, proclaimed: “It makes me seriously question why I dedicated my entire adult life to carrying water in the most dangerous places in the world for our government and its people.”
A federal judge issued a temporary injunction against the funding freeze on February 13, ordering the administration to resume payments. But implementation remains uncertain as the situation continues to evolve rapidly.
Read also: 495 Moroccan Nationals Under Final Deportation Orders from US as of November 2024
