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Devastating Aid Cuts Could Claim Millions of Lives by 2030
18 Nov
Summary
- Cuts of up to 25% in poorest countries, 28% in sub-Saharan Africa
- 22.6 million additional deaths, including 5.4 million children under 5
- First time major donors cut aid simultaneously for 2 consecutive years
According to a new study, abrupt cuts to development aid by major donor countries like the US, UK, Germany, and France could have devastating consequences for the developing world. The study, conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) and other organizations, projects that a severe reduction in official development assistance (ODA) in 2025 could result in 22.6 million additional deaths by 2030, including 5.4 million children under the age of 5.
The researchers modeled both a severe and a mild scenario for future aid cuts. The severe scenario involves cuts of up to 25% in the poorest countries and 28% in sub-Saharan Africa. Even a milder reduction could lead to 9.4 million preventable deaths, including 2.5 million children under 5.
The study notes that this would be the first time in nearly three decades that all four major donor countries have simultaneously cut ODA for two consecutive years. Experts warn that this "abrupt withdrawal" will leave little room for implementing adaptive strategies, threatening to reverse decades of progress in global health, education, and poverty reduction.
