Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has spoken out against U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to slash foreign aid, emphasizing that Africa will not remain passive in the face of economic imbalances.
Trump’s January 20 order triggered a 90-day review of all foreign assistance programs, immediately freezing funding. This led to the suspension of thousands of U.S.-funded projects, with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency overseeing widespread staff layoffs.
Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed an 83% reduction in the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with the remaining 18% of programs set to be transferred to the State Department for “more effective administration.”
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During a March 17 discussion at Jubilee House with students from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Opoku-Agyemang dismissed the notion that foreign aid is mere charity, arguing that Africa contributes significantly to the global economy.
“You see, one of the questions he [Trump] hasn’t asked himself is how much wealth leaves our continent for his country,” she stated. “They think it’s just charity. It is not. If even a fraction of what is taken from Africa remained, we wouldn’t struggle with unemployment, sanitation, or other challenges.”
She warned that Africa would not continue to accept economic exploitation. “At the right time, we’ll also take action. And it will not be funny,” she asserted.
Watch Sandra Babu-Boateng analyze Professor Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s statement on The BreakDown below. Subscribe to PanaGenius TV for the latest episodes!
Citing Niger’s recent renegotiation of its mineral contracts, which increased its national revenue from $1 billion to over $10 billion in a year, she highlighted the need for African nations to reclaim control over their resources.
The discussion also covered women’s empowerment, climate justice, and regional integration. On climate change, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang criticized the global system for unfairly placing the burden on Africa despite the continent’s minimal contribution to global emissions.
“We are responsible for less than 5% of global emissions, yet we are expected to bear the consequences,” she noted.
Encouraging the students to elevate African perspectives in global discourse, she urged, “We need everybody’s voice. You are from Harvard Kennedy School and MIT—we need your voices too.”
