The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced that food shipments to Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray area have been halted after it was determined that the aid was being illegally sold in the local market. USAID Administrator Samantha Power made the news in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the food aid was intended “for the people of Tigray suffering under famine-like conditions.”
“We have made the difficult decision to pause all USAID-supported food assistance in the Tigray region until further notice,” said Power.
She went on to say that the situation was probed by USAID’s Office of Inspector General and that the halt was determined to be the “best course of action” at the time. After the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian government signed a peace agreement in November, there was no significant return to fighting.
However, the issue of food security has remained unresolved even after the government lifted a blockade imposed on the northern region when fighting erupted in 2020 to allow for the free flow of aid.
The move by USAID comes just days after the Associated Press reported that the World Food Programme (WFP) had suspended remaining aid deliveries after an internal investigation revealed food theft in the war-torn region, where 20 million people are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
US raises concerns over food aid diversion in Ethiopia and plans to restart assistance with stronger oversight measures
In a statement, Power on Wednesday said that the United States “has raised its concerns with officials from both the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray Interim Regional Administration”.
She claimed that both regional and federal authorities have expressed a desire to assist in the identification of individuals involved.
“USAID stands ready to restart paused food assistance only when strong oversight measures are in place and we are confident that assistance will reach the intended vulnerable populations,” Power said.
She further stated that other “vital assistance not implicated in the diversion scheme will continue, including life-saving nutritional supplements, safe drinking water, and support for agricultural activities and development”.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government and the southern-based Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) ended the first round of peace talks on Wednesday without reaching any tangible agreements. However, both parties stated their intention to continue talks.