Following its discovery that the supplies it provided were being sold on the local market, the American aid organization USAID announced it was halting food shipments to Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray region.
In a statement released on Wednesday, USAID administrator Samantha Power explained that the help had been 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,” Power said.
She continued by saying that the pause had been found to be the “best course of action” after an investigation by USAID’s Office of the Inspector General.
After a peace agreement was signed in November by the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), there hasn’t been a significant resumption of hostilities.
The government lifted an embargo placed on the northern region when the conflict started in 2020 to allow the unfettered flow of supplies, but food shortages has nonetheless continued.
The World Food Programme (WFP) had reportedly paused aid supplies while conducting an internal investigation into food theft in the area, where 20 million people still require humanitarian aid, when USAID announced its decision.
Power claimed the US “has raised its concerns with officials from both the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray Interim Regional Administration” in her statement on Wednesday.
She claimed that both federal and local authorities had shown a desire to assist in finding those accountable.
“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 continued by saying that other forms of “vital assistance not connected to the scheme of diversion will continue, including support for agricultural development and activities and life-saving nutritional supplements and safe drinking water.”
The first round of peace negotiations between the Ethiopian government and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which has bases in the south, came to an end on Wednesday as well.
The talks would continue, according to both parties.
