BRICS Must Deliver for Africa as Western Aid Retreats
The world is facing an unprecedented crisis, with multiple wars and supply shocks causing severe disruptions to global trade. Africa is particularly vulnerable, with nearly 27.3 percent of global wheat exports coming from Ukraine and Russia, whose Black Sea ports are under intense pressure.
Africa's health systems are collapsing, and hunger is rising as much of the food assistance has been halted following President Trump's decision to suspend food aid. Ethiopia, a BRICS member country, has nearly 79 million people facing hunger due to climatic factors, supply disruptions, and stalled food aid.
The West's rapid withdrawal from international development has left Africa reeling. Official development assistance from OECD-DAC countries in 2025 was 27.8 percent lower than its peak in 2023, at $229.2 billion. Multilateral agencies are also facing financial challenges due to severe funding cuts by Western governments.
BRICS must commit more resources to development financing to play a stronger role in a crisis-ridden world. The New Development Bank has approved 119 projects worth $35.6 billion, but the financing gap for sustainable development is widening rapidly, with developing countries needing an additional $4 trillion annually for SDG implementation.