Home East Africa WFP and US temporarily suspend food aid to Ethiopia

WFP and US temporarily suspend food aid to Ethiopia

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The World Food Program (WFP) announced the suspension of part of its food aid to Ethiopia temporarily due to diversions and consequent misuse of food materials. The US also made a similar announcement recently

The World Food Program (WFP) announced the suspension of part of its food aid to Ethiopia temporarily due to diversions and consequent misuse of food materials. The US also made a similar announcement recently. However, WFP said that nutritional assistance to children, pregnant and lactating women, school meals programs and activities to strengthen farmers and herders would continue while stressing that diversion of food articles was absolutely unacceptable.   WFP is investigating the incidences of diversion of food and the culprits would be brought to book.

The USAID also announced the suspension of its food aid to Ethiopia, denouncing a widespread and coordinated operation to divert. It also said that it would resume humanitarian operations as soon as the distribution system was revamped and needy people only would have access to such reliefs. The US and Ethiopian authorities are jointly taking up an investigation into the diversions of aid.

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WFP is also working closely with its UN partners, humanitarian organizations, and local actors to reform the way aid is distributed across Ethiopia. It is estimated that over 20 million people, or 16% of the 120 million Ethiopians, depend on food aid due to conflicts or a historic drought in the region.