The US pauses all assistance to Somalia after officials allegedly seized and destroyed WFP food aid, demanding accountability from the government.
WASHINGTON: The United States has paused all food assistance to Somalia following reports of aid theft and the destruction of a donor-funded warehouse.
US State Department officials rebuked Somalia’s leaders on Wednesday over the alleged incidents. The US Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance posted on X that it had received reports Somali officials “destroyed a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid for vulnerable Somalis.”
Noting a “zero-tolerance policy” for waste or theft, the US stated any future aid would be “dependent on the Somali Federal Government taking accountability” and remediating the matter.
Officials in Somalia did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the aid suspension.
The move marks a growing rift between Somalia, the US, and Washington’s allies, particularly Israel. Israel announced last month it was officially recognizing Somaliland, a breakaway region from Somalia.
The United States supported Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, a move criticised by Egypt, Turkey, and several regional organisations. The European Union insisted Somalia’s sovereignty should be respected.
Somaliland’s position on the Gulf of Aden makes it strategically desirable. The Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab has vowed to fight any attempt by Israel to use Somaliland as a base.
In recent weeks, Washington has also targeted Somali communities within the US, conducting immigration raids and alleging benefit fraud. In November, US President Donald Trump ended temporary protected status for Somali immigrants.
War-torn Somalia is consistently categorized as one of the world’s least developed countries by the United Nations.
