Slashing Climate Resilience Programs Does Not Put America First

 Foreign Affairs published on 16 January 2026 an article titled "Less Foreign Aid, More Climate Risk: The Massive Costs of Gutting USAID" by Alice Hill and Lindsey Doyle.

Modest investment in USAID-financed climate-resilience projects has been gutted by the Trump administration.  Slashing funding and decimating the institutions that deliver it is neither fiscal prudence nor putting America first.  

Africa and the Trump Administration

 AllAfrica.com posted on 23 October 2025 a commentary titled "Africa Should Not Expect Much from Donald Trump" by Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs during the Obama administration.  

Carson looks back and forwards, concluding that the Trump administration will be minimally engaged in Africa as programs from previous administrations shut down.  

US Policy in Africa

Tibor Nagy, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, testified on 12 December 2018 before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on US policy towards Africa. His remarks were titled "Development, Diplomacy, and Defense: Promoting U.S. Interests in Africa."

Nagy repeated many of the Africa policy themes that were common in previous administrations. There was one change concerning China, which he said is asserting itself in Africa economically, militarily, and politically. As a result, the US must remain a positive alternative, and make clear that engaging with the United States will mean greater prosperity and security for Africa.

New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition

President Obama announced at the G-8 Summit that more than 45 international and African companies have committed more than $3 billion for specific agricultural investments. This is new money provided by the private sector. The U.S. government has contributed $301 million to the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program of its pledge of $475 million. Leaders from Ghana, Tanzania and Ethiopia launched the New Alliance with the G-8 at the Camp David Summit. Those three countries will be among the first to benefit from the initiative. The program is expected to expand rapidly to Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Cote d'Ivoire.

Click here for more information on the New Alliance.