Amid Abrupt U.S. Funding Cuts, Official of Bishops’ Entity in Angola Urges Africa’s Leaders to “find solutions together”

For Fr. Epalanga, “It is essential that we all find solutions together to mitigate the effects of these cuts. We must work to strengthen solidarity among countries and create solid advocacy plans to minimize this impact.”

“For developing countries, especially African countries, I believe this is an opportune moment that challenges our intelligence and creativity,” the Angolan member of the Society of Jesus (SJ/Jesuits) said. 

In Africa, he continued, “We should already start creating a common fund to support difficult situations such as disasters, victims of food insecurity, and patients with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other diseases who are deprived of medical and pharmaceutical assistance.”

“It would be important for African leaders to meet to discuss what to do and what paths to take to get out of this situation,” he further appealed. 

The CCJP-CEAST Executive Secretary warned that announced U.S. funding suspension, particularly through the USAID, would affect innumerable numbers in developing countries, exacerbating challenges in the health and development sectors.

“We recently faced the COVID-19 pandemic, and we do not know if another pandemic might arise in the future. Hopefully, we will not face another pandemic soon, or we might confront a global catastrophe,” Fr. Epalanga further said. 

Recognizing the U.S.'s sovereign decisions and President Trump’s focus on the “American first”, the Catholic Priest highlighted compassion and balance as important.

“We must not lose compassion. We cannot be extreme capitalists,” he said, and referring to Pope Francis’ October 2020 Encyclical Letter on fraternity and social friendship, Fratelli Tutti, emphasized the need to come to terms with and embrace “clear guidelines that highlight fraternity as the key to saving humanity.”

In Angola, USAID has been instrumental in supporting health, agriculture, and social projects with $1.7 billion having been disbursed between 2001 and 2024. 

The recent suspension has alarmed social organizations like ADRA, which reported halted projects, including a $9 million dam rehabilitation in Angola’s Huambo province meant to support year-round irrigation.

There seems to be a glimmer of hope following the February 13 U.S. Federal judge order that the administration of President Trump restores the foreign funding. 

"At least to date, defendants have not offered any explanation for why a blanket suspension of all congressionally appropriated foreign aid, which set off a shockwave and upended reliance interests for thousands of agreements with businesses, nonprofits, and organizations around the country, was a rational precursor to reviewing programs," Amir Ali, the U.S. District Judge, has been quoted as stating in a filing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.