U.S. suspends all aid programs to Somalia over corruption, theft of food relief
MOGADISHU, Somalia — The United States has suspended all ongoing aid programs benefiting the Somali people, citing systemic corruption and “unacceptable behavior” by Federal Government officials, including interference with international relief operations, U.S. officials said.
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The decision follows specific allegations that Somali authorities destroyed a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse funded by the U.S. and illegally seized 76 tons of food aid intended for vulnerable communities. In a statement, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assistance said, “The Trump administration has a zero-tolerance policy toward the loss, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance.”
U.S. officials said humanitarian support will not resume until the administration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud takes demonstrable steps to ensure accountability and implements corrective measures to safeguard aid from diversion and misuse.
The suspension lands at a critical moment for the Horn of Africa nation, which is grappling with a severe drought that has left millions facing food insecurity. The halt threatens to further strain already fragile relief pipelines and could delay deliveries of emergency food supplies and other essential services to the hardest-hit communities.
The move underscores growing frustration in Washington over what it views as weak oversight and mismanagement of international aid within Somalia’s federal institutions. It also signals a hardening U.S. posture on transparency and the protection of humanitarian resources in a region where donor confidence is pivotal to sustaining large-scale relief operations.
While the breadth of the freeze was not immediately quantified, the announcement makes clear that programs directly benefiting Somali populations are paused pending reforms. U.S. officials framed the suspension as a necessary step to protect taxpayer-funded assistance and to ensure that life-saving support reaches those it is meant to help without interference.
International agencies, including WFP, have long served as critical lifelines across Somalia’s drought-affected regions, where persistent insecurity and climate shocks complicate access. The destruction of a U.S.-funded warehouse and the reported seizure of 76 tons of food aid mark a serious breach of the safeguards that underpin donor-supported operations.
U.S. officials said the government in Mogadishu must demonstrate accountability before aid flows are restored. Until then, the suspension stands as both a rebuke of alleged misconduct and a high-stakes demand for reform at a time when humanitarian needs remain acute.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
