The U.S. Agency for International Development is resuming some food aid to Ethiopia after a five-month pause aimed at allowing the agency to get a handle on pervasive problems with theft and diversion of lifesaving assistance to a country facing severe food insecurity.
“In Ethiopia, USAID has made the decision to resume food assistance to refugee populations after the Ethiopian government and implementing partners made reforms to Ethiopia’s refugee food assistance structure,” Jessica Jennings, USAID spokesperson, wrote in a statement Thursday.
USAID is the largest food aid donor to the country and channels its assistance through the World Food Programme and through a network of humanitarian NGOs. USAID provided about $2 billion of assistance to Ethiopia in 2022 and 2023, making the country the largest recipient of U.S. aid in sub-Saharan Africa.
About the author
Michael Igoe@AlterIgoe
Michael Igoe is a Senior Reporter with Devex, based in Washington, D.C. He covers U.S. foreign aid, global health, climate change, and development finance. Prior to joining Devex, Michael researched water management and climate change adaptation in post-Soviet Central Asia, where he also wrote for EurasiaNet. Michael earned his bachelor's degree from Bowdoin College, where he majored in Russian, and his master’s degree from the University of Montana, where he studied international conservation and development.
