American billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has revealed plans to hold a crucial meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at addressing the sharp cuts in U.S. foreign aid to Africa, which have significantly impacted countries like Kenya.
In an interview with the BBC, Gates stated that the meeting is likely to happen within the next three to four months, and he intends to make a strong case for the restoration of development assistance, which was either slashed or suspended following a series of executive orders signed by Trump earlier this year.
“I’m confident I’ll have the opportunity to talk to him soon. When I do, I’ll express firmly that the U.S. needs to remain actively engaged in foreign aid.
I will speak up as loudly as I can about the harm these funding cuts are causing,” Gates emphasized.
Gates criticised the abrupt nature of the cuts, noting that the Trump administration’s decision to halt aid suddenly and completely left no room for proper planning or adjustment.
According to Gates, a gradual reduction, if necessary, would have allowed for better mitigation through innovations and support from private philanthropists.
“If the cuts were between 20 to 30 percent, we could have limited the damage. With ongoing innovation and support, we might have managed to bridge the gap,” he explained.
One of the most significant setbacks came with the dismantling of USAID, a key agency responsible for channeling American development assistance across the globe.
In Kenya, USAID had been instrumental in providing emergency food, healthcare, clean water, and nutrition support to both refugees and local communities.
It also funded major health initiatives, including PEPFAR (HIV/AIDS relief), the Malaria Initiative, and the Global Health Security Agenda.
Each year, the U.S. had been disbursing more than Ksh80 billion (roughly $600 million USD) to support these and other vital programs in Kenya.
The sudden withdrawal has placed critical sectors—particularly health and humanitarian relief—under severe strain.
President Trump, upon his return to office in January, signed a sweeping executive order imposing a 90-day suspension on all foreign development aid, alongside a decision to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO).
The order claimed that foreign aid agencies and multilateral organizations promoted values that were contrary to American interests and, in some cases, destabilizing to international peace.
“The foreign aid industry and bureaucracy are not aligned with American interests. In many cases, they promote ideas that conflict with global harmony and internal stability,” read the executive order.
In addition to aid cuts, Gates also raised concerns about recent trade policies targeting African nations. He disclosed that African countries, including Kenya, were almost subjected to steeper tariffs, which were only avoided through behind-the-scenes intervention by influential stakeholders.
Despite these efforts, Kenya has still suffered a blow. On April 2, President Trump signed another executive order introducing reciprocal tariffs on trade with Kenya.
Under this directive, a 10% baseline tariff was imposed on all Kenyan exports to the U.S., affecting major income-generating sectors such as textiles, tea, and coffee.
These goods were previously exempted from tariffs under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a U.S. trade program designed to promote African exports.
Kenya’s trade relationship with the U.S.—valued at over Ksh109.7 billion (approximately $784 million USD)—now faces uncertainty, as both aid and trade policies from the U.S. appear to be shifting toward protectionism and isolation.
In light of these developments, Gates emphasized the importance of maintaining long-term partnerships with African nations, not just for humanitarian reasons but also for global stability and economic development.
He urged the Trump administration to consider the wider implications of its policies and adopt a more balanced, collaborative approach.
The outcome of the anticipated meeting between Gates and President Trump could be pivotal in shaping the future of U.S.–Africa relations, particularly for nations like Kenya that have long relied on American support to bolster public health, trade, and development programs.
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