Following the decision by the United States government to suspend with immediate effect from the 24th of January 2025, all funding, contracts, programs and activities, civil society organisations (CSOs) in Botswana including Botswana Council of Non-
Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) members, have not been spared. This funding suspension has had a ripple effect, severely impacting critical services provided by CSOs in various sectors, including healthcare, education, social protection, and democratic governance. As a result, many organisations have not only been forced to halt service provision but have also had to lay off staff.
Given the important role that CSOs play in the broader national development landscape in Botswana, there is an urgent need for coordinated national response and way forward. It is crucial to engage the Government of Botswana and development partners in a collective effort to address the disruption of critical services and prevent further job losses. Following the US government funding freeze, BOCONGO Secretariat conducted an assessment to evaluate the extent of the impact on CSOs in Botswana including BOCONGO members, with findings presented in the document below.
