The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced on Tuesday, November 14, that it will reinstate its food aid programs in Ethiopia starting in December, ending a suspension that lasted nearly six months. In a statement released yesterday, USAID mentioned a « one-year trial period » for its food aid programs in Ethiopia, justifying this decision based on significant diplomatic efforts made in recent months. These efforts resulted in « widespread and substantial reforms to the structure of food aid by the Ethiopian government and our humanitarian partners. »
During this trial period, USAID will continuously monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the reforms implemented by itself, its implementing partners, and the Ethiopian government. American food aid will now resume across the entire Ethiopian territory, with USAID giving « the highest priority to taking all possible measures to ensure that US humanitarian aid is used for its intended purposes, reaches the most vulnerable, and ultimately saves lives. »
In June 2023, USAID had suspended food aid to Ethiopia, citing cases of misappropriation. In October 2023, it had partially reinstated its aid, limiting it to refugees present in the country.