The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced the temporary suspension of its food assistance to Ethiopia’s Tigray region due to reports of the diversion and sale of food aid meant for famine-stricken people.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power said that the decision was difficult but necessary after the agency discovered that the food aid was being diverted and sold on the local market instead of reaching its intended beneficiaries. The issue was referred to the Office of the Inspector General, which launched an investigation, and leaders from its Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance were sent to Ethiopia to gather information before deciding on the temporary pause in food aid.
The two-year war between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) broke out in November 2020 and resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, millions displaced, and famine-like conditions for hundreds of thousands of people. While the hostilities officially ended in November, the region is still suffering, and the pause in food aid delivery has dealt another blow to already vulnerable populations.
Power stated that the U.S. government has raised concerns with officials from both the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray Interim Regional Administration and that the officials have expressed willingness to work with the U.S. to identify and hold those responsible accountable. She added that USAID stands ready to restart the program once strong oversight measures are in place, and it has confidence that the assistance will reach the intended vulnerable populations.
In the meantime, 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, Power said. The U.S. remains committed to helping the Ethiopian people, she added.