Democracy

by Molly Lihs Abstract  This paper examines the impact of the U.S. foreign aid freeze and cuts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the worsening humanitarian crisis amid ongoing conflict involving the Congolese government, the March 23 Movement (M23), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), Rwanda, and other armed groups. As a major donor, the U.S. provides critical funding for food, shelter, medical supplies, hygiene, and sanitation, making Congolese communities heavily reliant on American aid. This paper analyzes the immediate and potential consequences of these aid cuts through emerging reports and historical cases where U.S. aid reductions during crises exacerbated suffering. It underscores the likelihood of escalating humanitarian distress and the compounded hardship faced by millions. Introduction In 2024, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) received more humanitarian aid from the United States government than any other country in the world, at a staggering $920 million, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of all the humanitarian aid received by the DRC (Maclean & Jammeh, 2025). A large majority of this aid contributed to efforts to ensure access to food and nutrition support, water and sanitation services, medical supplies, and other essential resources and services. On January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that called for a 90-day pause in new foreign assistance obligations and disbursements and required stop-work orders to be issued for all existing foreign assistance awards as the current foreign development […]