Suspected abuse of humanitarian food assistance to Ethiopia

Humanitarian food assistance to Ethiopia is suspected of having been diverted from people in need. In May, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that misappropriation of aid is suspected in the Tigray region in Northern Ethiopia, but now the suspicions extend to the whole country. The WFP has launched an investigation into the suspected abuse of food assistance to Ethiopia and suspended some of its aid deliveries to Ethiopia. Finland will start its own review of the WFP’s mechanisms for risk management.

While Finland is not funding the WFP in Ethiopia, it funds the agency in other ways, for example, through multiannual core funding of EUR 8 million each year. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs takes all suspected cases of misuse very seriously and will address any detected problems.

The humanitarian situation continues as critical throughout the Horn of Africa, and the food security situation, especially, is dire. The UN estimates that more than 20 million people are in need of food aid in Ethiopia alone. The ongoing conflicts in Ethiopia are disrupting deliveries of humanitarian assistance and hindering monitoring in the country.