NRC suspends aid in nearly 20 countries amid U.S. funding cuts
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) announced on February 10, 2025, that it will suspend some of its humanitarian operations across nearly 20 countries due to a 90-day freeze on U.S. foreign aid implemented by President Donald Trump on January 20.
In 2024, the NRC received approximately 20% of its funding from the United States, amounting to around $150 million, which supported about 1.6 million people worldwide. This unprecedented funding cut has led to significant disruptions in the NRC’s programs.
In Ukraine, the organization was forced to halt the scheduled February distribution of emergency support to 57,000 people in frontline communities. Additionally, the NRC has laid off staff globally and warned of further program suspensions if U.S. payments remain paused.
The U.S. foreign aid freeze has caused widespread disruptions in global humanitarian efforts. In Ghana and Kenya, anti-malaria supplies are stranded in warehouses, and in Haiti, life-saving HIV treatments are halted while awaiting U.S. authorization.
In Myanmar, the situation is dire with famine looming as the U.S. remains the largest aid donor, and confusion reigns among humanitarian workers. The NRC emphasized that without immediate solutions, it may be forced to halt U.S.-funded lifesaving humanitarian programs by the end of February.
