(MENAFN) The United States is significantly scaling back its development and diplomatic efforts in Africa, causing growing concerns about the region’s future in areas like health, education, and economic growth.

A leaked executive order from the Trump administration revealed plans to restructure the State Department’s activities in Africa and drastically reduce programs from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

In January, the U.S. halted USAID foreign aid for a 90-day period.

These cuts have severely impacted critical projects across Sub-Saharan Africa, including essential programs focused on HIV/AIDS treatment, malaria prevention, maternal health, and agricultural support.

Countries like Kenya, Uganda, and Nigeria have had to suspend or reduce key life-saving initiatives.

USAID is narrowing its focus to a few "strategic countries," while decreasing its presence in many others.

According to data from the U.S. Foreign Assistance Data portal, nations like Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe, and Seychelles did not receive any aid this year.

Other nations, including Cape Verde, Comoros, and Gambia, received minimal assistance.

Diplomatically, the U.S., which once had the second-largest embassy network in Africa after China, plans to close embassies in Eritrea, Gambia, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, and the Central African Republic, along with consulates in Cameroon and South Africa.

Proposals also indicate a potential dismantling of State Department units dedicated to African affairs, democracy promotion, human rights, refugee policy, gender equality, and climate change.

In response, some African countries are taking steps to address these challenges on their own.

For instance, Nigeria has allocated $200 million to help fill the gap in healthcare funding.

However, many countries still face significant obstacles, such as corruption and weak governance, making it difficult to sustain these efforts.

Experts warn that without diversifying international partnerships and effectively using domestic resources, African nations risk undoing years of progress in health and development.

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