The US government has announced the suspension of all assistance to Somalia after officials of the Somali Federal Government were implicated in the demolition of a warehouse belonging to the World Food Program (WFP) and the confiscation of 76 tons of food aid intended for those in need. The US State Department issued a statement last night, accusing unnamed SFG officials of seizing life-saving food aid from a warehouse that was funded by the US government. The statement emphasized the zero-tolerance policy of the Trump administration towards theft and diversion of food aid. The State Department also stated that the resumption of assistance programs will depend on the actions taken by the Somali Federal Government to ensure accountability. According to reports, a video was circulated last Wednesday showing a bulldozer demolishing the WFP warehouse at the port of Mogadishu. The SFG had reportedly pressured the WFP to relocate its warehouse from the port, and the WFP had complained to diplomats stationed in Mogadishu, leading to US intervention and the suspension of assistance programs to Somalia. The Somali Federal Government, led by Hassan Sheikh, has not yet responded to the allegations made by the US government.
