The US has suspended all government aid to Somalia, saying officials destroyed a UN World Food Program (WFP) warehouse and seized “donor-funded food aid”.
“The Trump administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving aid,” it said. a statement by the US State Department on X.
The message, posted on the account of the under secretary for foreign aid, said reports were received about officials illegally seizing 76 tons of food meant for “vulnerable Somalis”.
Any continuation of aid will depend on the Somali government “taking responsibility for unacceptable actions and taking appropriate remedial measures”, it said.
Although the US has withdrawn from many UN organizations under President Donald Trump, it remains WFP’s largest contributorpaying $2bn by 2025 – almost a third of its total funding.
The Somali government, which has long battled Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda as it tries to rebuild the country after a devastating civil war and years of drought, has yet to comment.
This is the latest example of deteriorating relations between Washington and Mogadishu.
In November, US President Donald Trump criticized Somali migrants living in the US, telling reporters that they should “go back to where they came from” and that “their country is not good for a reason”.
Communities are targeted by immigration attacks as the government accuses of massive benefit fraud in Minnesotathe US state with the largest Somali community in the US.
The recent recognition by US ally Israel of the breakaway republic of Somaliland, which Somalia considers part of its territory, has further angered Mogadishu.
The aid allegedly seized by Somali officials was intended to help people cope with the effects of “drought, floods, conflict, high food prices and declining harvests”, according to the WFP.
It cites figures that say 4.6 million Somali people are facing crisis levels of hunger.