Foreign aid has been one of the main instruments of US international policy, but one that the current Trump-led administration has begun to cut back on, raising alarm bells. In 2024, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) channelled billions of dollars to various nations, with Ukraine being the main beneficiary, followed by several African and Middle Eastern countries.
According to data from ForeignAssistance.gov, the US provided 6.1 billion dollars in assistance to Ukraine: since the Russian invasion in 2022, it has been one of the main destinations for US international aid, accumulating more than 32.5 billion dollars. In second place was the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with 1.3 billion dollars. The country is facing a humanitarian crisis aggravated by internal armed conflicts, forced population displacement and high levels of poverty.
Jordan, the third largest beneficiary, received a similar amount (1.3 billion dollars), standing out for its strategic role in the Middle East in receiving refugees from Syria and other neighbouring countries.
Mozambique was not on the list of the ten most supported by USAID, despite receiving a significant amount of US aid – 664 million dollars in 2023. It was USAID’s main beneficiary among the members of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP). This represented a significant difference from second place, Angola, which received 71 million dollars, while other countries such as Brazil and East Timor received 68 and 43 million dollars respectively.
Most of USAID’s aid in Mozambique has been directed towards health, with around 400 million dollars earmarked for programmes to combat HIV/AIDS. USAID is recognised as the largest donor in the world, now waiting for a new chapter.
