The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), which depends on US contributions for nearly half of its funding, announced on Monday that it is shutting down its southern Africa bureau due to financial constraints. The decision comes as the region grapples with a severe drought.

As part of its "America First" policy, US President Donald Trump’s administration has significantly reduced foreign aid contracts, including funding for critical UN programs. While the WFP did not specify the exact financial impact of these cuts, regional spokesperson Tomson Phiri acknowledged that "the donor funding outlook had become constrained."

The US remains the WFP’s largest donor, contributing $4.5 billion to its $9.8 billion budget last year. The agency provides food and cash assistance to populations facing hunger due to wars, climate change, and crop failures.

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An El Niño-driven drought last year forced Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Namibia to declare national disasters. In response to funding shortages, the WFP will merge its eastern and southern Africa operations, with both regions now being managed from Nairobi.

"The goal is to stretch every dollar and target maximum resources to our frontline teams," Phiri explained, assuring that the bureau’s closure would not affect country-level operations in Southern Africa.

The WFP noted that more than 60% of the food it procures is used within the regions where it was purchased. However, the agency had already been struggling with funding shortfalls, securing only 20% of the resources needed for last year’s drought response.

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