US Resumes Food Aid for Ethiopian Refugees After Hiatus

In a significant development, the United States has announced the resumption of food aid delivery for refugees in Ethiopia after a five-month hiatus. This decision follows an agreement by Ethiopian authorities to step away from distributing the supplies.

The suspension of aid, which began in May and was paralleled by a similar move from the United Nations, was prompted by the discovery of “widespread and coordinated” theft of food aid in the region.

Reforms initiated by the Ethiopian government have paved the way for the resumption of aid. These reforms include strengthening monitoring and oversight mechanisms and increasing commodity tracking, as stated in a press release by USAid. Additionally, Ethiopia has “transferred responsibility” for dispatching and warehousing food aid.

The resumption of aid brings hope to hundreds of thousands of refugees currently residing in Ethiopia, primarily from neighboring countries such as Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.

However, it’s important to note that the resumption of aid does not address the urgent humanitarian needs of approximately 20 million Ethiopians who remain in desperate need of assistance. This population continues to face the dire consequences of food shortages.

Tragic reports have emerged from the war-torn Tigray region, where officials have informed the BBC that at least 1,400 people have starved to death since the suspension of aid. In neighboring Amhara, recent conflicts compounded by drought have led to scores of deaths due to the lack of food aid.