The United States has halted all assistance that supports Somalia’s federal government after accusing Somali authorities of tearing down an American-funded World Food Program warehouse and taking food supplies meant for vulnerable communities, the State Department announced on Wednesday.
According to the department, Somali officials destroyed the facility and seized 76 metric tons of humanitarian food aid that had been earmarked for civilians facing acute hardship.
“The Trump Administration has a zero-tolerance policy for waste, theft, and diversion of life-saving assistance,” the State Department said in a statement.
RELATED STORIES
READ ALSO: Here’s how the U.S. aid cuts are leaving Liberia’s health system and women in crisis
It confirmed that funding streams tied to the Somali Federal Government have been frozen while the U.S. reassesses its engagement. “The State Department has paused all ongoing U.S. assistance programs which benefit the Somali Federal Government,” the statement said. “Any resumption of assistance will be dependent upon the Somali Federal Government, taking accountability for its unacceptable actions and taking appropriate remedial steps.”
The decision follows a broader hardening of the Trump administration’s stance toward Somalia and Somali nationals. U.S. officials have intensified scrutiny of Somali refugees and migrants, citing fraud allegations in Minnesota involving child care centers, while imposing tighter entry restrictions and tougher residency conditions.
The full scope of the funding affected remains uncertain. The administration has significantly reduced foreign aid spending overall, dismantled the U.S. Agency for International Development, and has yet to publish updated country-by-country assistance figures.
During the final year of former President Joe Biden’s administration, the United States allocated about $770 million for programs in Somalia. Only a small portion of that funding was routed directly through the federal government.
A senior State Department official said the department is now reviewing each program linked to Somalia. The review is aimed at identifying initiatives that directly or indirectly benefit the federal government and deciding whether they should be paused, redirected, or shut down entirely. The official described the process as “undertaking a thoughtful and individualized review to determine which ongoing assistance programs directly or indirectly benefit the Somali Federal Government and to take appropriate actions to pause, redirect or terminate such programs.”
READ ALSO: “Stop all work” – U.S. aid cuts derail HIV vaccine trials in South Africa
The same official characterized Somalia as “a black hole of poorly overseen U.S. assistance,” arguing that long-standing weaknesses in oversight have made certain programs vulnerable to fraud and abuse.
According to the official, the suspension followed reports that authorities at the Mogadishu Port demolished the World Food Program warehouse on the direct instruction of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The action was allegedly taken without informing or coordinating with international donors, including the United States.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of diplomatic reporting from the region, according to AP’s report.
Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Decades of conflict, political instability, and repeated natural disasters, such as severe droughts, have left millions dependent on humanitarian assistance for survival.
READ ALSO: Global AIDS battle in crisis after U.S. aid freeze disrupts lifeline programs
