Background 

SEA Junction invited development practitioners and other concerned parties to attend a panel discussion on 18 March 2025 on 5.00 – 7.30 pm at SEA Junction, room 407-8 on the 4th Floor of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) for a critical and solution-focused discussion on current events troubling development aid funding and practices.

In recent months, the development sector has been shaken by the abrupt suspension of USAID-funded projects. The decision has left many organizations, civil society groups, and local communities facing unprecedented challenges, as essential aid programs grind to a halt. The consequences are far-reaching: from healthcare facilities losing funding, to human trafficking survivors left without critical support, to grassroots organizations struggling to continue their work in the absence of international assistance. 

As one of the largest donors in the region, USAID has played a pivotal role in supporting initiatives focused on human and gender rights, migration, anti-trafficking, governance, and economic development across Southeast Asia. The sudden withdrawal of these funds has had an immediate and severe impact on vulnerable populations, particularly in conflict-affected and marginalized communities. Across the region, organizations are now scrambling to find alternative sources of funding, adapt their strategies, and sustain their efforts in an increasingly unpredictable environment.

This event aimed to bring together leading voices from the aid and development sector to discuss the broader implications of this crisis in the region and place it in a more general context of conservative government disputing the importance of development aid and curtailing resources when not immediately relevant to trade and foreign affairs objectives. How can organizations pivot in response to these funding cuts? What alternative funding models exist, and how can local and international actors work together to ensure aid remains effective and sustainable in Southeast Asia? What lessons can be learned to create a more resilient and self-sufficient development ecosystem in the region? 

At this event, we discussed what had happened so far, provided insight into the evolving situation from practitioners, and explored potential pathways forward for support of development and human rights organizations in the region and ensure continued support for those most in need. The panel was composed of:

  • Phil Robertson Jr., Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates (AHRLA)
  • Emilie Palamy Pradichit, Manushya
  • Sara Piazzano, Independent Consultant
  • Kaona Saowakun, ILGA Foundation
  • Aung Zaw, The Irrawaddy

The panel was moderated by:

  • John Luke Chua, MEL Lead, USAID-funded Asia Counter Trafficking in Persons Project

A Q & A and discussion session and a simple reception followed.