Aid cuts threaten Ethiopia's vital climate resilience programs
- In Ethiopia, programs like the World Food Programme's Drought Anticipatory Action offer critical support to vulnerable communities facing climate challenges.
- Recent cuts in foreign aid threaten the sustainability of these vital initiatives, leaving many without assistance as emergency starting procedures must take priority.
- Without sustained funding, communities will face dire consequences, reinforcing the need for continued international support to combat climate impacts.
In Ethiopia, the impact of climate change is causing severe challenges for vulnerable communities, particularly in the Somali region. Ahead of the rainy season, Habiba Abdulahi, a mother of ten, expressed concerns over drought and its potential effects on her family and livestock. Fortunately, she was selected for the World Food Programme (WFP) initiative called 'Drought Anticipatory Action,' which supports communities with early warning systems and cash transfers. This funding helped her acquire necessary resources, allowing her family to manage the crisis effectively. However, recent cuts in international aid from several countries, including the US, UK, Germany, and France, pose a significant threat to similar programs in place to address the climate crisis. As of June 2025, only about 10 percent of the required $46.18 billion for global humanitarian aid had been secured, jeopardizing critical support for millions facing food insecurity and other hardships due to extreme weather. Aid cuts mean that organizations will have to prioritize emergency responses, neglecting crucial programs aimed at building long-term resilience against climate adversities. Should future funding not arrive, such anticipatory efforts and support systems will cease to exist, leaving communities like Abdulahi's at a tremendous risk of losing their livestock and livelihoods due to the worsening climate impacts. The consequences extend beyond immediate humanitarian needs; neglected, these communities could face increasingly severe conditions leading to potential migrations, stressing the importance of international aid in stabilizing fragile regions and reducing future displacement pressures.