Norwegian Refugee Council Suspends 'Lifesaving' Aid After US Funding Freeze
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Loading... - Oscar Hayes
- 26 Feb 2025
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The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), one of Europe’s largest humanitarian organizations, announced on Tuesday that it would be forced to suspend "lifesaving" aid funded by the United States in 21 countries due to a significant funding freeze. This decision comes in response to the US government's ongoing failure to issue outstanding payments for both completed and ongoing authorized work.
The crisis was exacerbated by recent actions from the US government, particularly following President Donald Trump's return to the White House last month. Trump has ordered a suspension of foreign assistance and has called for the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is responsible for distributing US humanitarian aid globally.
In a statement released on February 10th, the NRC indicated that it would have to halt US-funded programs by the end of the month unless the necessary funds were released. The organization reported having $20 million in outstanding payment requests from the US, funds that had already been allocated to support 21 countries grappling with wars, disasters, and displacement.
Despite US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously announcing waivers for lifesaving humanitarian programs, the NRC stated that they had not received either the funding or any communication regarding when the money would be transferred. This lack of support has created a liquidity crisis for the NRC, which they can no longer absorb, leading to the difficult decision to lay off aid workers.
The suspended projects include critical initiatives such as 700 bakeries providing daily bread to individuals "on the brink of starvation" in Sudan, as well as water and sanitation support in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Additionally, emergency shelter and support for families affected by cyclones in Mozambique will also be halted. The NRC plans to suspend these vital programs on February 28th and has called on the US government to release the outstanding payments and lift all stop-work orders to ensure that lifesaving assistance can continue.
While Norway recently announced multi-year funding agreements with six NGOs, including the NRC, these funds will not be sufficient to replace the amounts frozen by the US. In 2024, US-funded programs run by the NRC reached approximately 1.6 million people, with nearly 20 percent of the organization’s overall funding coming from the United States.
The suspension of aid by the NRC highlights the critical impact of funding freezes on humanitarian efforts and the urgent need for reliable support to assist vulnerable populations around the world.
