US Suspends Aid to Somali Government

 The Associated Press published on 7 January 2026 an article titled "US Suspends Assistance to Somalia's Federal Government, Alleging It Seized Food Aid" by Matthew Lee.

The US State Department has suspended all assistance to Somalia's federal government over allegations that Somali officials destroyed an American-funded warehouse belonging to the World Food Program and seized 76 metric tons of food aid intended for the civilian population.  

The Trump Administration Reverses Course and Reinstates Food Aid Programs in Six Countries

 Reuters published on 8 April 2025 an article titled "Trump Administration Moves to Restore Some Terminated Foreign Aid Programs, Sources Say" by Jonathan Landay, Daphne Psaledakis, and Humeyra Pamuk.  

The Trump administration reinstated at least 6 recently cancelled US foreign aid programs for emergency food assistance following pressure from inside the administration and from Congress.  The reversal allows food aid programs to continue in Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, and Ecuador.

Ethiopia's Tigray Region Continues to Face Humanitarian Emergency

 Refugees International published a report dated March 2024 titled "Scars of War and Depravations: An Urgent Call to Reverse Tigray's Humanitarian Crisis" by Sarah Miller.   

The report argues that aid has not scaled up to meet the need of Tigray Region's internally displaced people (IDP).  If relief does not come, many will die, and some even fear that the fragile Pretoria Peace Agreement could be in jeopardy.  Much of the region remains in dire straits, and many IDPs are languishing in very difficult conditions.  

Suspension of Food Aid in Ethiopia Poses Serious Policy and Program Challenges

 Ethiopia Insight published on 22 June 2023 a commentary titled "Aid Suspension Threatens Millions of Ethiopian Lives" by Duke Burbridge, who has covered the humanitarian situation in Tigray Region for the past two years.

The suspension of food assistance by the World Food Program and USAID due to massive diversion of the aid could be devastating for the 5.4 million people in need in Tigray Region.  The author acknowledged the corrupt diversion of food, but was critical of USAID and WFP for not sharing more information about the reasons for the suspension and how they plan to solve the problem.  

Ethiopia: Halt in Emergency Food Aid to Tigray Because of Diversion

 Reuters published on 3 May 2023 an article titled "USAID Pauses Food Assistance to Tigray Region of Ethiopia" by Jasper Ward.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power announced a temporary suspension of its food assistance to Tigray Region because food intended for people in need and free of charge was being diverted and sold in the local market.

Russia-Africa Relations

Two recent studies shed considerable light on Russia's relations with Africa.  The first is "Russian Interests in Sub-Saharan Africa" published by the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The author is Keir Giles, director of the new Conflict Studies Research Centre, which provides analysis for the UK Ministry of Defense.

Source: SSI

The study explains that Russian trade with Sub-Saharan Africa is significantly underdeveloped with the exception of the arms trade. Russia and the United States have a shared interest in restricting the freedom of movement of terrorist organizations in Africa, which opens the potential for cooperation between the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Russian presence in the region.

The second study is titled "Russia as a Humanitarian Aid Donor" published by Oxfam UK. The authors are Anna Brezhneva and Daria Ukhova. Humanitarian aid includes emergency response activities such as material relief, food aid, and support services, incorporating related logistics, distribution, and coordination, but not extended to humanitarian action implying deeper involvement such as reconstruction, disaster, prevention and preparedness.

The paper examines Russia's institutional arrangements for humanitarian aid provision; the types and volumes of aid sent; the recipients of this aid; the differences and similarities between Russia and the other members of the two main global donor groups -- the G8 and the BRICS countries; and the Russian government's and public's perceptions of the country's role as a donor. Russia has been a modest provider of humanitarian aid, providing about $196 million from 2007 until 2013. Only about 20 percent of this aid has gone to Africa.