Europe’s Aid Retreat Shifts Billions to Defense, Leaving Millions at Risk

European Aid Cuts Threaten Global Health

Cuts to foreign aid budgets by the United Kingdom, Germany, and France could lead to over 11.5 million preventable deaths by 2030, according to a recent report from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal). These reductions signal a structural realignment in European international engagement, moving away from previous levels of development assistance.

The report indicates significant decreases in Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending. The UK's ODA is projected to fall by 45% between 2020 and 2026, Germany's by 37% between 2023 and 2026, and France's by 30% over the same period. Specifically, UK cuts alone could result in 5.1 million additional deaths, French reductions in 3.5 million, and German cuts in nearly 2.9 million by 2030.

These aid reductions are occurring as European nations increase defense spending in response to geopolitical tensions. For instance, the UK's aid spending reached its lowest level in nearly two decades last month, while the country plans to raise defense spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2035. Germany's aid as a share of gross national income is expected to drop from 0.85% in 2022 to 0.52% in 2026, with a projected near 50% cut to humanitarian aid potentially leaving 4 million people without food assistance.