**Update** On 24 March, the U.S. government submitted a report to Congress publishing a list of grants that have now been officially cancelled, including 23 awards for Myanmar valued at a total of $569 million. See the cancelled grants >
The U.S. has ended most of its aid to Myanmar, cancelling a projected $259 million for 2025, including $45 million for democracy, human rights, and independent media.[1]
The closure of USAID means that Myanmar is on track to lose approximately $1.1 billion in aid throughout the Trump presidency, including a total of $181 million dedicated to the democracy movement. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s recent 40% reduction in its foreign aid budget further compounds the crisis.
These cuts will deal a devastating blow to Myanmar’s democracy movement, civil society, and the millions of people who rely on humanitarian support. They also serve as a gift to the Myanmar military and its authoritarian allies, including China and Russia, whose influence will now expand.
Full scope of the funding cuts
The U.S. government’s decision on 27 February to cancel 90% of its aid contracts marks an unprecedented shift in policy.[2] U.S. aid accounts for 26% of total global aid grants to Myanmar.[3] None of the U.S. funding went to the military-controlled authorities.
As the top recipient of USAID funding in the region and the ninth largest recipient in the world, Myanmar saw commitments of $236 million in 2023 and $237 million in 2024. In 2025, it was expected to receive $259 million.
Of the projected 2025 funding, about $172 million (72%) would have been allocated for humanitarian aid, healthcare, agriculture, and education, while another $44 million (19%) would have been set aside for democracy, human rights, and independent media projects.
Over the next four years of the Trump presidency (2025–2029), Myanmar may lose $1.06 billion in U.S. aid, including $181 million for democracy projects—eliminating critical support that has long underpinned its civil society landscape.
Alarm bells for wider cuts
On 25 February, the United Kingdom announced a 40% reduction in its foreign aid budget. The U.K. currently funds 25 projects in Myanmar, with an approved budget of $37 million for 2024 and an indicative budget of $55 million for 2025.[4] With a 40% cut, Myanmar would receive only $28 million by 2027—a drastic drop from the $121 million provided before the coup and the COVID-19 pandemic.
These decisions follow repeated alarm bells from Human Rights Myanmar. In February 2025, we cautioned that the U.S. decision to close USAID programs had frozen $39 million in aid to the democracy movement, jeopardising organisations, including independent media outlets, that challenge military rule and promote democratic governance. In November 2024, we warned that a shift in U.S. policy could destroy Myanmar’s civil society foundations. Those warnings have now become a reality.
Humanitarian and democracy impact
The consequences of these long-term cuts will be catastrophic. In 2025, at least 19 million people in Myanmar—about 35% of the population—will need food, healthcare, and protection aid. The loss of this funding will deepen the humanitarian crisis, exacerbating food insecurity and worsening healthcare shortages. Displaced communities, ethnic minorities, and marginalised populations—who bear no responsibility for the political crisis triggered by the coup—will suffer the most.
The impact on Myanmar’s civil society and independent media will be existential. Organisations that have played a crucial role in resisting military rule and advocating for democratic governance will struggle to survive, replaced by a military tightening its grip on society. Many media outlets will go silent. It is unlikely that organisations like Human Rights Myanmar will survive.
Dangerous precedent for foreign policy and gift for authoritarians
These aid cuts reflect a broader pattern of developed democratic countries disengaging from democracy and human rights support. If the U.S. and U.K. are willing to abandon Myanmar’s civil society in its time of need, what does that mean for other fragile democracies? This decision risks setting a precedent where human rights funding is deemed expendable, even in countries confronting some of the world’s most brutal authoritarian regimes.
Moreover, withdrawing U.S. and U.K. support will directly embolden authoritarian regimes worldwide. The Myanmar military, long reliant on support from China and Russia, will now find its position strengthened, enabling these allies to expand their economic and strategic influence in Myanmar—an outcome that serves their interests, not those of democracy and human rights.
Reverse the cuts now
The U.S. and U.K. governments must act immediately to reconsider these aid reductions. Congress, the Senate, and policymakers in Washington and London must recognise the damage these cuts will cause—not only to Myanmar but to the broader fight for democracy worldwide. If USAID is to be permanently closed and its functions transferred to the U.S. State Department, the provision of aid must be treated as an emergency.
The Myanmar people should not be collateral damage in shifting foreign policy priorities. Aid must never be used as a political bargaining chip when lives, freedoms, and the future of an entire country are at stake. We urge all who believe in democracy and human rights to take action before it is too late.
March 2025 update
The U.S. government has submitted a report to Congress publishing a list of grants that have now been officially cancelled, including 23 awards for Myanmar valued at a total of $569 million.
The first table below lists all the cancelled awards, followed by a second table listing the retained awards, totalling $136 million. This list only covers awards made by USAID specifically for Myanmar. It does not include U.S. State Department awards or awards that are for multiple countries.
| Cancelled USAID awards | ||||
| Vendor Name | Contract Description | Total Estimated Cost | Contract Start Date | Contract End Date |
| THE CADMUS GROUP LLC | Inclusive Federal Democracy Activity (IFDA) | $59,993,996 | 10/02/2023 | 10/01/2028 |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL | To support learners in ethnic-based education systems in Burma to have improved learning outcomes in reading, math and social-emotional learning | $58,000,000 | 29/09/2021 | 30/09/2029 |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL | TB/HIV Agency, Information and Services | $54,420,394 | 10/10/2021 | 10/09/2026 |
| INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION INC | USAID/Burma Diversity and Inclusion Scholarship Program (DISP) | $45,288,500 | 16/08/2023 | 15/08/2028 |
| CHEMONICS INTERNATIONAL, INC. | To provide technical assistance in the implementation of the USAID Promoting Rule of Law in Myanmar Activity. | $39,071,932 | 26/06/2018 | 15/03/2025 |
| ACDI/VOCA | The Agriculture and Food-Systems Development Activity will facilitate strong bonds of economic mutual interest across ethnic divides in northern Burma through the development of agriculture and food systems. This will include capacity building various levels – production, post-harvest handling and food processing – to strengthen opportunities for sustainable peace and improve the integration of smallholder farmers into local and regional urban markets, as well as into other lucrative market opportunities. | $37,928,842 | 13/09/2019 | 12/12/2025 |
| CROWN AGENTS USA INC. | The purpose of this contract is to establish and manage a flexible, quick-response mechanism supporting activities that will sustain the Pro-Democracy Movement and strengthen community resilience amid ongoing conflicts in Burma. | $30,293,813 | 22/09/2023 | 09/05/2026 |
| COMMUNITY PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL | Empower conflict-affected communities in Southeast Burma to create a locally-driven, community- owned development agenda to improve social cohesion and build resilience to protracted crises and future shocks. | $30,000,000 | 26/09/2022 | 25/09/2027 |
| UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CO LLC | To provide support for Burma’s efforts towards the elimination of malaria | $29,500,000 | 10/01/2021 | 30/09/2026 |
| INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION INC | Leadership Activity is designed to be implemented through a five-year cooperative agreement. The activities will begin in 2019 and will end in 2024, with an overall total estimated award funding of $19,000,000. The following results are to be achieved through the Activity: – Lead Burma along path of inclusive socio-economic development; – Advance respect for ethnic and religious diversity; and – Promote self-reliance and avoid dependence on authoritarian regimes | $28,000,000 | 28/08/2019 | 27/08/2026 |
| INTERNEWS NETWORK | The United States Agency for International Development s Investing in Independent Media (IIM) aims to ensure the viability of independent media as a critical element of Myanmar s emerging democracy. The Activity will support public interest journalism created by local and national media houses and independent journalists. The activity recognizes that there is not yet a sufficiently mature business environment for the media to operate independently while continuing to report news that holds political and economic elites accountable. The availability of news and information is a key piece of countering disinformation and misinformation in Myanmar. The performance objectives of the activity are to (1) Increase research and analysis for use by, and about the media sector and business environment, for the primary use and benefit of decision making by media operations (2) Alleviate political, financial, and legal pressures on media houses and journalists that publish news and investigative reports (3) Increase financial independence and viability of local and national media. IIM will expand on USAID Burma’s current and past investments in the media sector, while working closely to align activities with other donor support that follow similar priorities. IIM will be managed by USAID Burma s Office for Democracy, Governance, and Humanitarian Assistance (DGHA) as part of a broader portfolio supporting democracy, governance, conflict mitigation, and resilience activities designed to protect human rights, advance the democratic transition, and support peace in Myanmar. | $20,651,095 | 08/11/2020 | 08/10/2025 |
| DAI GLOBAL LLC | The primary dual objectives of the activity are (1) to facilitate fair and responsible trade and investment between Burma, the U.S., and its regional partners in goods and services, and (2) to improve domestic corporate governance, business transparency and competitiveness of firms operating in or entering the market in Burma. RITA also includes two cross-cutting performance objectives that reinforce the two objectives above, but that also stand as objectives on their own. They are (1) to promote economic integration, investment and trade in economically marginalized states and regions of Burma, and (2) to empower women to participate more in the economy, particularly in the promotion of responsible investment and trade in goods and services. | $18,730,499 | 07/03/2020 | 07/02/2025 |
| CONSORTIUM FOR ELECTIONS & POLITICAL PROCESS STRENGTHENING | USAID/Burma Advancing Democracy | $17,600,000 | 08/09/2023 | 08/08/2026 |
| WORLDFISH | Aquaculture development activity in Burma working with small-holders to improve production, including nutrient instruction to ensure uptake of nutrient rich fish and fish-products. | $17,000,000 | 15/09/2021 | 14/09/2027 |
| Catholic Relief Services – United States Conference of Catholic Bishops | Cultivating Rural Opportunities for Productivity Strengthening (CROPS) in Burma | $14,300,000 | 28/06/2023 | 27/06/2026 |
| SOCHA, LLC | USAID/Burma Program Cycle Support Activity | $12,493,078 | 09/01/2024 | 31/08/2029 |
| UNICEF | Provide acute malnutrition assistance, WASH, and child protection to internally displaced and vulnerable conflict-affected populations to support the humanitarian operation in Burma (previously on “approved waiver” list) | $8,000,000 | 29/06/2024 | 30/09/2025 |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE, INC. | Programming for Health and Safety Needs of Conflict Affected Communities in Burma | $7,500,000 | 07/01/2023 | 30/09/2025 |
| PYI GYI KHIN | Local Engagement and Development for TB (LEAD-TB) | $4,900,000 | 10/01/2023 | 30/09/2026 |
| MYAW LINT YAR HOPE LNGO | Livelihood and Improved Skills Training for Addiction Recovery (LISTAR) Activity | $2,500,000 | 08/12/2024 | 08/11/2027 |
| KRC | USAID/Burma will partner with Kachin State Local Consortium led by Kachinland Research Center (KRC) to address the drug issues of Kachin State. | $1,800,000 | 03/11/2022 | 03/10/2025 |
| COAR GLOBAL LIMITED | To provide research and analysis to support humanitarian programming in Burma. | $999,938 | 09/12/2024 | 09/11/2025 |
| FREEDOM HOUSE | To provided funding support for “Supporting Rights and Resilience Program (SRRP) Activity” interventions related to human rights and freedom which are relevant under the current context of Myanmar. | $30,000,000 | 10/11/2021 | 10/10/2026 |
| Total cancelled | $568,972,087 | |||
The second table lists the retained awards, totalling $136 million.
| Retained USAID awards | ||||
| Vendor Name | Contract Description | Total Estimated Cost | Contract State Date | Contract End Date |
| INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION | Award to provide life saving medical supplies, mobile health clinics, clean water and sanitation equipment, and training for healthcare workers to provide relief for communities devastated by the ongoing civil war in Burma. | $24,075,000 | 06/06/2023 | 06/05/2025 |
| UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME | To provide life-saving food assistance and nutrition activities to IDPs and conflict- affected people in critical areas in Burma. | $100,000,000 | 01/01/2023 | 31/03/2025 |
| JHPIEGO CORP | HIGH-IMPACT MATERNAL, NEWBORN AND CHILD HEALTH | $12,420,000 | 10/01/2022 | 30/09/2025 |
| Total retained | $136,495,000 | |||
Footnotes
[1] Human Rights Myanmar’s projected figures are based on a review of expenditure in the years following the 2021 coup, establishing a trend line for forthcoming years. Where expenditure has fluctuated or there have been conflicting reports from different national and international agencies, HRM has used the most conservative figures to calculate a minimum forward projection.
[2] U.S. funding to Myanmar has come from USAID; Department of State; Department of Labor; Department of Health and Human Services; Department of the Interior.
[3] Human Rights Myanmar uses figures from the World Bank, OECD, USAID, and IATI.
[4] U.K. funding to Myanmar has come from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); Department of Health and Social Care; Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Department of Science, Innovation and Technology; Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.