US aid cuts have been linked to increased violence in Africa, as people resort to joining militias due to economic hardships exacerbated by a lack of government resources.
A study from the University of Sydney indicates that cuts to USAID aid are leading to rising violence in Africa, as individuals join militias when there are no economic alternatives available. The decrease in foreign aid from the US is unprecedented, resulting in closed clinics, halted vaccination campaigns, and millions of children at risk of inadequate treatment or nutrition. These aid reductions are particularly affecting some of the world's most fragile regions. The analysis combines data on political violence from the ACLED project with geolocated information on international cooperation. The findings reveal a correlation between reduced US foreign aid and an uptick in violence, suggesting that without sufficient resources, states struggle to provide essential services and maintain informal agreements with armed groups, thus fueling ongoing conflicts.
