US Aid Freeze Threatens Key Health and Education Projects in Morocco

The suspension of funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) - the main vectors of bilateral aid - will have a negative impact on local NGOs and UN agencies operating in Morocco. Community health facilities that depend on external grants to ensure the distribution of antiretrovirals and the care of vulnerable populations are directly affected by this measure.

The detection of emerging pathogens, in a context where zoonoses and pandemics are global threats, is at risk of being compromised due to the cessation of grants for biosurveillance and early warning systems. Vaccination coverage against certain endemic diseases is likely to decline due to the suspension of US financial aid.

The American decision also affects the assistance mechanisms for migrants and refugees, mainly financed by USAID and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The halt of regularization and integration programs is likely to exacerbate the precariousness of migrant populations in transit in Morocco