The UN Food Agency Closes Offices In South Africa Due To Funding Obstacles

WFP Headquarters in Rome, Italy. (Wikimedia Commons/Kaga tau)

JAKARTA - The United Nations (UN) World Food Program (WFP), most of which come from the United States, will close its office in South Africa due to funding constraints, the agency said on Monday.

WFP earns nearly half of its annual donation from Uncle Sam's country, which cut overseas aid contracts around the world as part of President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda.

Regional spokesman Tomson Phiri said the agency would combine operations in East and South Africa and run both from Nairobi.

He told Reuters, as quoted March 3, it would not affect the operations of a country in South Africa, where the WFP helps millions of people affected by drought.

"The goal is to save every dollar and target our frontline teams with maximum resources," said Phiri.

He declined to comment on whether the decision was directly related to President Trump's cut in aid, saying simply "the donor funding prospects are becoming more limited".

The administration of President Trump cut more than 90 percent of US International Development Agency (USAID)'s foreign aid contracts and more than 58 billion US dollars in Washington's overall worldwide relief.