Frozen Aid, Fractured Capacity : The impact of the USAID funding freeze on the operational capacity of humanitarian actors in Zimbabwe

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines what happens to humanitarian actors and their operational capacity, in countries heavily reliant on external assistance, when funding is withdrawn abruptly. The USAID funding freeze of early 2025 and its effects in Zimbabwe serve as the case. Qualitative interviews were conducted with eight organisations active in Zimbabwe during the 90-day freeze. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns among the interviews. These patterns were analysed through the theoretical framework of resource dependence theory. The thesis demonstrates multifaceted consequences on operational capacity, affecting organisations internally, externally, and existentially. The effects were also system-wide, with actors not directly funded by USAID affected.