In a shock announcement, the US government has permanently canceled funding for 30 USAID programs in Cambodia, totaling $260 million. The decision follows a sweeping review of USAID by the Trump administration, which resulted in a drastic reduction of foreign aid allocations worldwide.

The cuts affect critical programs in health, education, child protection, and human rights, including $25 million for primary education and $15 million for tuberculosis treatment. In the face of rising TB cases in Cambodia, the cancellation of funding for the Cambodia Malaria Elimination Project and the Tuberculosis program has sparked widespread concern.

Civil society organizations, reliant on USAID funds, are particularly impacted. Many face operational shutdowns or layoffs, with organizations like Save the Children and the Cambodian Center for Human Rights scrambling to find alternative sources of funding. Despite the government’s reassurances, the cuts are causing significant disruptions to vital services, especially for vulnerable communities.

The Cambodian government downplays the situation, stating that they are exploring alternative partnerships, but civil society leaders urge global donors, particularly from democratic nations, to step in and fill the void left by USAID’s withdrawal.