Monrovia, Liberia – The sudden shutdown of the USAID Liberia website has raised alarms across the country, casting a shadow over the future of crucial development projects that rely on U.S. assistance. The website, which typically serves as a key portal for information on USAID’s operations and ongoing projects in Liberia, has been inaccessible for several days. While the exact cause of the website’s outage remains unclear, this disruption comes at a time when USAID’s future involvement in Liberia is increasingly uncertain.
The website’s inaccessibility is a stark reminder of the growing strain between the United States and Liberia over foreign aid, particularly in light of U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s recent decision to freeze all foreign aid for a period of 90 days. With U.S. assistance playing a central role in Liberia’s development for more than two decades, the freeze could have a profound impact on the nation’s progress, particularly in rural areas where USAID-funded projects are the primary source of development support.
USAID has been the cornerstone of Liberia’s development efforts, with 232 ongoing projects spread across various sectors, including health, education, agriculture, and governance. These projects are a lifeline for thousands of Liberians, many of whom depend on them for employment, education, and essential services. The freeze on U.S. foreign aid has immediately brought all USAID activities to a halt, leading to the suspension of funding for ongoing projects and an abrupt freeze on future disbursements.
In a country where the government’s capacity to implement development projects is severely limited, USAID’s contribution has been indispensable. The U.S. agency has invested billions of dollars into Liberia’s recovery since the end of the civil war, helping to rebuild infrastructure, improve public health systems, and support education. But with the aid freeze, Liberia now faces the grim prospect of stalled projects and unfulfilled promises.
One of the most significant impacts of the freeze is the disruption to critical health programs. USAID’s financial support has been crucial in the fight against diseases such as Ebola and malaria, with millions of dollars allocated each year to strengthen Liberia’s health infrastructure. The freeze could put ongoing health initiatives at risk, potentially undoing years of progress and leaving the country vulnerable to future outbreaks.
Education is another sector that stands to suffer heavily from the suspension of USAID support. With US$26 million allocated for education projects in Liberia for the 2024-2025 period, many students and teachers could find themselves without the resources needed to continue their education.
This is especially concerning for rural areas, where access to education is already limited, and the freeze could worsen the educational gap between urban and rural communities.
Agriculture, too, could be hit hard by the freeze. Liberia’s agricultural sector, which provides livelihoods for a large portion of the population, has long benefited from USAID-funded programs aimed at increasing food security and improving farming techniques. With US$11 million allocated for agricultural initiatives, the freeze could halt efforts to improve productivity and address food insecurity, further exacerbating poverty in rural areas.
The economic fallout from the aid freeze is likely to be severe. USAID has been a significant source of foreign currency inflows into Liberia, and the suspension of aid will deprive the country of vital financial support. In an economy heavily dependent on imports, the loss of these funds could lead to inflation, a devaluation of the Liberian dollar, and higher costs for essential goods. This will place additional pressure on an already struggling population, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Furthermore, the freeze is likely to have a ripple effect on employment, as thousands of Liberians are employed or contracted by USAID-funded projects. With projects now halted, many workers face uncertainty about their livelihoods, and contractors could see delays or cancellations of ongoing work. The freeze also threatens to undermine Liberia’s fragile tax base, as reduced economic activity from stalled projects will lead to a drop in government revenues.
The Boakai administration, already under pressure from a struggling economy and high levels of public dissatisfaction, now faces an additional challenge in the form of a disrupted foreign aid program. As Liberia’s national budget for 2025 shows, only 12.5% of the budget is allocated for capital investments in development, while 87.5% is consumed by recurrent expenditures. This glaring imbalance has left Liberia dependent on foreign aid to fill the gap and fund critical projects. With USAID’s operations frozen, the government must now scramble to address the financial shortfall and find alternative sources of funding for ongoing initiatives.
While the freeze is only temporary, it raises critical questions about Liberia’s reliance on foreign assistance and the long-term sustainability of its development strategy. Liberia’s heavy dependence on U.S. aid, which represents 16% of the country’s GDP and 281% of the national budget for 2025, exposes the nation’s vulnerability to shifts in U.S. foreign policy. For Liberia to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce its dependence on aid, the government must prioritize domestic economic growth, transparency, and improved governance.
