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USAID's Dismantling Leaves Nepal Exposed to Climate-Linked Disasters, Officials Say

Catastrophic flooding hits twice since August with limited US humanitarian response compared to past earthquakes

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Nepal has been hit by catastrophic flooding twice since August, and development workers say the U.S. response has been severely limited due to the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which was effectively destroyed in July 2025 after funding freezes and mass layoffs under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. The absence of USAID, once a steadfast partner in Nepal's disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response, has left the country exposed as it confronts more extreme and unpredictable climate-related disasters with fewer resources.

The flooding along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers has drawn a markedly different U.S. response compared to past disasters, particularly the devastating 2015 earthquake. During that crisis, USAID worked with multiple organizations in rescue and relief operations and served as the lead U.S. government agency for coordinating foreign disaster relief.

"Compared to the 2015 response, the difference is night and day," Santosh Gyawali, the former Nepal representative for USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, which oversaw disaster response coordination, told Foreign Policy. "The U.S. Disaster Assistance Response Team arrived for search-and-rescue operations and did quick assessments on building safety and saved lives. They worked as auxiliary to the Nepal government. We see that missing now."

USAID's destruction followed months of funding freezes and mass layoffs conducted under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, drawing widespread condemnation. The dismantling of one of the world's largest humanitarian agencies sent ripples across developing countries where U.S. assistance had long provided lifesaving programs, from improving maternal and child health to providing malaria and HIV medications.

Nepal, already struggling to prepare for disasters that are becoming more extreme and difficult to predict, now faces an additional gap in its humanitarian response capacity. Development workers say the U.S. response to the recent flooding has been limited compared to the 2015 earthquake, when USAID coordinated a large-scale relief effort.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The absence of USAID in Nepal weakens disaster response capacity as climate change fuels more extreme and frequent floods, landslides and other hazards.
  • The gap in U.S. humanitarian assistance could lead to higher death tolls and slower recovery for affected communities in Nepal and other developing countries.
  • The dismantling of USAID, which also supported maternal health, malaria and HIV programs globally, has broader implications for public health and disaster preparedness worldwide.

Background

USAID was one of the world's largest humanitarian agencies, with a decades-long presence in Nepal. After the 2015 earthquake, it coordinated search-and-rescue operations, building safety assessments and relief efforts alongside the Nepal government. In July 2025, USAID was effectively destroyed after months of funding freezes and mass layoffs under the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency. The move eliminated a key partner for disaster risk reduction and humanitarian response in countries like Nepal.

Key Perspectives

[Nepal-based development workers and former USAID officials]: They describe the difference between the 2015 earthquake response and the current floods as "night and day," with no U.S. Disaster Assistance Response Team present for search-and-rescue or building safety assessments. The former Nepal representative for USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance said the agency's coordinating role is now missing. [Critics of the USAID dismantling]: They warned that gutting the agency would have severe consequences for vulnerable populations in developing countries, including Nepal, which relied on U.S. assistance for disaster response and health programs. [Trump administration officials (implied)]: They chose to dismantle USAID as part of broader cost-cutting efforts, arguing that the agency's programs were not a priority for U.S. taxpayers, though no specific justification is provided in the available reporting.

What to Watch

  • Whether the Nepal government and other international partners can fill the humanitarian coordination void left by USAID.
  • The extent of damage and loss of life from future disasters as response capacity remains diminished.
  • Any potential moves by the U.S. Congress or future administrations to restore USAID or its functions, especially if public outcry grows.

Sources

Zotpaper

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