US aid cuts will make world ‘less healthy, less safe and less prosperous’: Guterres

28 February 2025 — UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Friday that severe cuts to humanitarian and development funding by the United States will have devastating consequences for millions of vulnerable people worldwide.

“These cuts impact a wide range of critical programmes,” he told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York, highlighting the potential disruption to lifesaving humanitarian work, development projects, counterterrorism efforts and initiatives to combat drug trafficking.

He expressed the UN’s gratitude “for the leading role” the US has played over decades providing overseas aid, highlighting that thanks to US taxpayers’ dollars and other donors, over 100 million people each year receive humanitarian support through UN programmes.

However, the cuts come at a time when global crises are intensifying, leaving millions at risk of hunger, disease and displacement, he said.

“The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world,” Mr. Guterres said.

Read the full press release here.