India
Myanmar relief camp residents received their final handouts from the World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday as the United Nations agency began halting aid to nearly a million people due to severe funding shortages. The cuts are a result of dwindling donations, with the United States’ reduced aid budget significantly impacting humanitarian efforts.
Since a military coup toppled Myanmar’s civilian government in 2021, the country has been embroiled in a brutal civil war that has killed thousands, displaced millions, and pushed the poverty rate to 50 percent. For those in relief camps, WFP aid was often their primary source of sustenance.
Displaced Families Face Uncertain Future
Byar Mee, a resident of a relief camp near Myitkyina, was among those who received her last monthly WFP payout of around $50 on Tuesday.
“I pray every night that this news is not true,” she told AFP. “Please help us and pity us.”
Similarly, 32-year-old Zi Yay Tar, who has been displaced by landmines and fighting for over a year, expressed his distress. Living in a relief camp run by the Waingmaw Lisu Baptist Association in Kachin state, his family of seven has relied entirely on WFP support. “The World Food Programme was our biggest hope,” he said.
WFP Aid Cuts: A Major Blow to Myanmar’s Crisis
WFP announced that due to budget constraints, it will only be able to provide aid to 35,000 people in April—a fraction of the 15 million who are struggling to meet daily food needs.
WFP Myanmar chief Michael Dunford confirmed that donor funding, particularly from the United States, has dried up. Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has prioritized reducing federal spending, with USAID’s budget slashed from $42.8 billion, previously making it a key contributor to WFP’s efforts.
The Waingmaw Lisu Baptist Association camp houses 379 households—more than 1,800 people—who had relied on WFP aid since July. Community organizer Le Tarr noted the devastating impact of the cuts, stating, “After we heard the WFP announcement, all the people in the camp are depressed and having trouble sleeping. Without food and supplies, we are going to starve.”
UN Condemns US Aid Withdrawal
UN special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, criticized the US government’s decision, calling it a “sudden, chaotic withdrawal of support” with a “crushing impact” on vulnerable populations. Speaking at a press conference in Geneva, he warned, “The abrupt termination of this support is going to kill them.”
While Trump has defended the budget cuts as necessary for reducing government spending, USAID accounted for just 0.7 to 1.4 percent of total US government expenditure over the last 25 years, according to the Pew Research Center.
As WFP aid winds down, Myanmar’s displaced populations face an uncertain future, with no immediate solutions in sight.
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