UN Agency Investigating Humanitarian Food Theft in Ethiopia

A woman carries an infant as she queues in line for food, at the Tsehaye primary school, which was turned into a temporary shelter for people displaced by conflict, in the town of Shire, Tigray region, Ethiopia, March 15, 2021. Picture taken March 15, 2021. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo
A woman carries an infant as she queues in line for food, at the Tsehaye primary school, which was turned into a temporary shelter for people displaced by conflict, in the town of Shire, Tigray region, Ethiopia, March 15, 2021. Picture taken March 15, 2021. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo
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UN Agency Investigating Humanitarian Food Theft in Ethiopia

A woman carries an infant as she queues in line for food, at the Tsehaye primary school, which was turned into a temporary shelter for people displaced by conflict, in the town of Shire, Tigray region, Ethiopia, March 15, 2021. Picture taken March 15, 2021. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo
A woman carries an infant as she queues in line for food, at the Tsehaye primary school, which was turned into a temporary shelter for people displaced by conflict, in the town of Shire, Tigray region, Ethiopia, March 15, 2021. Picture taken March 15, 2021. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo

The United Nations food relief agency is investigating the theft of food aid from lifesaving humanitarian operations in Ethiopia, according to a letter obtained by The Associated Press.

The World Food Program’s Ethiopia director, Claude Jibidar, says in the letter that “WFP is very concerned about the large-scale sale of food in some markets” which “poses not only a reputational risk but also threatens our capacity to mobilize more resources for the needy people."

He adds that it “is therefore imperative that immediate actions be taken to curb ... the misappropriation and diversion of humanitarian food” in the country.

The letter is dated April 5 and addressed to humanitarian partners of WFP in Ethiopia, where drought and internal conflict have left 20 million of the country's 120 million people reliant on aid.

Jibidar asks the partner organizations to share “any information or cases of food misuse, misappropriation or diversion that you are aware of or that are brought to your attention by your staff, beneficiaries or local authorities.”

The letter does not mention any specific cases. However, two aid workers told AP the stolen aid included enough food for 100,000 people and was recently discovered missing from a warehouse in Sheraro, a town badly affected by the conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region. The aid workers spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

It was not clear who was responsible for stealing the aid from the Sheraro warehouse, which was previously looted by Eritrean soldiers allied to Ethiopia’s federal government in a separate incident. One of the aid workers said it was supplied by USAID and due to be distributed by partners.

In an emailed statement, USAID said it "has proactively identified recent diversion of some of our assistance in Northern Ethiopia.”

“We are in regular communication with our implementing partners regarding incidents of reported diversion and continue to monitor developments closely and take all necessary steps to stop the diversion,” the agency added.

A peace deal signed by the federal government and its Tigray rivals in November has seen restrictions eased and aid deliveries have resumed to the region, where 5.2 million people need humanitarian help.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $331 million in funding for aid agencies working in Ethiopia during a trip to the country last month.



Türkiye Says Hamas Would be More Open to Deal Seeking Lasting Peace with Israel

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
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Türkiye Says Hamas Would be More Open to Deal Seeking Lasting Peace with Israel

Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)
Palestinians inspect the damage caused by an Israeli strike in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday. (AP)

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Sunday that talks with Palestinian militant group Hamas in recent days had shown the group would be more open to an agreement that goes beyond a ceasefire in Gaza and aims for a lasting solution to the crisis with Israel.

On April 19, Fidan and Türkiye's intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, held talks with Hamas officials in Ankara to discuss the latest efforts for a ceasefire and the situation in Gaza, Reuters reported.

Speaking in Doha, Fidan said those talks showed Hamas would be more willing to sign a deal that also addresses the issue of occupied Palestinian territories and other issues.

He also noted that the crisis could be turned into an opportunity to implement the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.