United States Agency for International Development
Also known as: USAID
United States Agency for International Development — US government agency that provided funding for HIV prevention, treatment, and conservation programs in Namibia and the region until its dismantling under the Trump administration.
United States Agency for International Developmentstopped fundingNamibian NGOs over a year ago
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“USAID stopped funding Namibian NGOs after United States (US) president Donald Trump cut support from the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) last January.”
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)was shut down by Trump administrationas key provider of development support to West Africa
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“The shift started with the shuttering of USAID – a key provider of development support to the region – days after the president was sworn in for a new term.”
USAIDmade significant pledges in strengtheningcivil society in health, human rights, youth empowerment and social services
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“the United States government has been a crucial donor to Namibian NGOs through the UN, USAID which made significant pledges in strengthening civil society particularly in health, human rights, youth empowerment and social services.”
USAIDcut funding across the globehumanitarian aid funding worldwide
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“But that changed abruptly a year ago when United States (US) president Donald Trump took office and promptly demolished the agency's work and cut funding across the globe.”
USAIDcut funding tohealthcare and HIV treatment programmes in Malawi
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“In Malawi, the drying up of support from USAID and the flagship US anti-HIV programme, PEPFAR, has left "the system in panic", said Gift Trapence, executive director of the Centre for the Development of People (CEDEP).”
United States Agency for International Developmentwas dissolved byDonald Trump's administration
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“Namibia also received funding for projects which summarily had their lifelines cut when the United States Agency for International Development, the main implementer, was dissolved by United States (US) president Donald Trump's administration earlier this year.”
United States Agency for International DevelopmentfundsKP-Star through President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief
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“KP-Star is funded by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the United States Agency for International Development, implemented by Intrahealth Namibia.”
The Namibian HIV Clinicians Society warns that the withdrawal of US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) funding by end-2027 threatens HIV prevention efforts, and advocates for wider access to oral PrEP (Truvada), which offers up to 99% efficacy in preventing HIV acquisition and is already available in Namibia, as the country has not yet rolled out the newer injectable form Lenacapavir.
The Namibian HIV Clinicians Society warns that the withdrawal of US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) funding by end-2027 threatens HIV prevention efforts, and advocates for wider access to oral PrEP (Truvada), which offers up to 99% efficacy in preventing HIV acquisition and is already available in Namibia, as the country has not yet rolled out the newer injectable form Lenacapavir.
Namibia's government has rejected a US proposal for health data and specimen-sharing worth over N$145 million per year for HIV and tuberculosis programmes, citing sovereignty and privacy violations. The US withdrew the biological specimen component in November 2025, though data-sharing negotiations continue.
Namibia and the US are negotiating new health sector funding to determine the future of HIV financing in the country, with negotiations intensifying since US President Donald Trump's return to power and the dismantling of USAID. The talks are contentious over data-sharing provisions, with recipient countries concerned that deals tie health aid to data access and critical minerals, though a US government source claims negotiations do not include sharing of personally identifiable data.
Namibia has launched the Namibia for Life Project Finance for Permanence agreement, a funding initiative involving government, conservation organizations, and international partners including Germany's KfW and USAID, to secure stable long-term support for community conservancies. According to WWF Namibia, Namibia is the first country in Africa to successfully complete such a conservation financing deal.
Namibian NGOs report three new HIV cases daily following the withdrawal of USAID funding over a year ago, and warn that the government has not filled the gap. NGOs say the funding cuts have forced scaling back of HIV prevention programmes, condom distribution, and treatment support, particularly affecting sex workers, youth, and the LGBTQI+ community.
According to Namfisa data, 72% of insured Namibians hold funeral insurance policies while only 30% have health insurance, reflecting cultural priorities around dignified burial over access to healthcare. Medical professionals warn that the shortage of medical cover leaves uninsured citizens vulnerable to delayed care, financial hardship, and complications from chronic illnesses, while the government develops a Universal Health Coverage Bill to address gaps in the public system.
The Trump administration is signalling a new approach to Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger—military-run states that have expelled France and turned to Russia for defence support. The US is prioritizing security cooperation and counter-terrorism over previous concerns about democracy and human rights, and aims to balance Russian influence in the region through intelligence and weapons support.
An opinion piece argues that Namibian CSOs have become trapped in donor-dependent cycles, driven by foreign funding priorities rather than local needs, and proposes reforms including a national civil society fund, government service contracting, domestic resource mobilisation, and stronger accountability to communities rather than foreign donors.
USAID funding cuts under the Trump administration have deepened humanitarian shortfalls in Ethiopia's Tigray region, where aid organizations report up to 80% of the population needs emergency support and residents are dying from hunger and malnutrition. The closure of aid offices and reduced medical services have left internally displaced persons with minimal access to food, healthcare, and basic services, while the Ethiopian government denies the severity of the crisis.
US government funding cuts to USAID and PEPFAR in January 2025 have crippled HIV treatment services in Malawi, causing widespread staff layoffs, closure of clinics, and a sharp rise in treatment defaults and unplanned pregnancies. Healthcare workers warn that years of progress against HIV/AIDS are being undone, with vulnerable populations facing discrimination and a return of preventable deaths.