US to resume food aid to Somalia

The United States on Thursday announced it would resume food distribution in Somalia.

In early January, Washington suspended aid to Somalia over reports of theft and government interference, saying Somali officials had "illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid meant for vulnerable Somalis."

US officials then warned that any future aid would depend on the Somali government taking accountability, a stance Mogadishu countered by saying the warehouse demolition was part of the port's "expansion and repurposing works."

On Wednesday, however, the Somali government said all WFP commodities affected by the port expansion had been returned.

In a statement, Somalia said it "takes full responsibility" and has "provided the World Food Programme with a larger and more suitable warehouse within the Mogadishu port area."

The US State Department said in a post on X: "We will resume WFP food distribution while continuing to review our broader assistance posture in Somalia."

US President Donald Trump has slashed aid globally over the past year.

Somalis in the United States have also become a particular target for the administration in recent weeks, facing immigration raids.

They have also been accused of large-scale public benefit fraud in Minnesota, which has the largest Somali community in the country, with around 80,000 members.