Hiiraan Online

Jigjiga (HOL) - The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has suspended food aid to Ethiopia amid concerns over misuse of donations, leaving the Somali regional government in Ethiopia gravely concerned about the impact on over two million displaced individuals. These people, heavily reliant on humanitarian aid, are part of a larger population of more than 20 million Ethiopians in dire need of food assistance.

USAID, working with the Ethiopian government, found evidence of a "widespread and coordinated campaign" to divert aid away from the intended beneficiaries. The agency plans to resume assistance as soon as it can assure the system's integrity, according to a USAID spokesperson.

This suspension could seriously affect recovery efforts from a persistent drought in the Somali region. Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ibrahim, Minister for Disaster Risk Management for the Somali Regional Government, emphasized the precarious situation of displaced individuals. "Our region shelters a million displaced individuals, including those escaping the conflict between Somali and Oromia and those forced from their homes by the drought. They depend on regular food aid," he said.

The minister also noted the impact of recent spring rains that have disrupted the lives of 50,000 families and caused another 30,000 families to be displaced. This situation is particularly acute in the Shabelle region's districts of Qalafe, Ferfer, and Mustahil, where villagers had to be evacuated by boat and relocated.

Ethiopia's food crisis has been exacerbated by both the ongoing drought and the recent cessation of conflict in the northern Tigray region, with millions of citizens urgently requiring food assistance.