The World Food Programme has provided this update on its Aid policy to Ethiopia.
It follows a decision by the WFP to suspend aid, following widespread theft, on 9 June 2023, which is reproduced in full below the update.
Martin
Source: World Food Programme by email
The World Food Programme (WFP) is expanding enhanced controls and measures for delivering food assistance across southern and northwestern zones of Tigray, Somali and Afar regions to ensure food assistance reaches the most vulnerable people.
The enhanced controls and measures are to ensure food reaches and is used by the most vulnerable people, it is intended for. These measures include: evidence-based targeting, digital registration and beneficiary identity management protocols, new bag markings to allow for precise tracking; strengthened monitoring, community feedback mechanisms – to name a few.
In Tigray, WFP through its partners is distributing 15KG pre-packed bags of wheat to digitally registered people who are eligible for food assistance (so far we’ve reached around 340,000 people). The test distributions are being rolled out at food distribution points where WFP and partners have completed targeting of beneficiaries and digitally registered them. Other comprehensive measures established include new bag markings to allow for precise tracking; strengthened complaints and feedback mechanisms including help desks and hotline; and enhanced trainings for humanitarian partners.
In Somali and Afar regions, WFP plans to begin enhanced targeting and registering populations as soon as possible. WFP and humanitarian partners cannot currently access communities in Amhara region, due to the escalation of violence and insecurity and we continue to monitor the situation closely,
WFP has not yet lifted the pause on its humanitarian operations in Ethiopia and continues to refine and roll out enhanced measures at pace. WFP is grateful to its partners and stakeholders for their support as we gradually test the processes and strengthened measures which have been jointly implemented, prior to any wider distributions so that WFP can ensure life-saving assistance will reach those most in need.
UN suspends food assistance as Ethiopia wrestles with aid diversions
Source: United Nations
© WFP/Melese Awoke
Wheat is loaded onto a truck heading to the Somali region in Ethiopia.
Amid media reports of widespread theft of aid deliveries in Ethiopia, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Friday the immediate temporary suspension of food assistance to the country.
“Food diversion is absolutely unacceptable,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain, following a joint statement made by Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and USAID announcing their commitment to addressing deeply concerning revelations of aid diversion.
“While we will temporarily halt food aid assistance in Ethiopia, nutrition assistance to children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, school meals programmes, and activities for building the resilience of farmers and pastoralists will continue uninterrupted,” she said, welcoming the Ethiopian Government’s commitment to investigate and hold accountable those responsible.
Widespread theft
Over the past months, large aid deliveries have been stolen, according to media reports.
“Our first concern is the millions of hungry people who depend on our support, and our teams will work tirelessly with all partners to resume our operations as soon as we can ensure that food reaches the people who need it the most,” the SFP chief said.
More than 20 million people in Ethiopia urgently need humanitarian food assistance, as the long-lasting effects of conflict and drought continue, according to the agency.
“WFP is working closely with its UN and humanitarian partners and local stakeholders to reform the way assistance is delivered across Ethiopia and in all high-risk operational contexts where we work,” she said, adding that the agency takes this issue very seriously and will take every necessary step to ensure that critical food assistance reaches those who need it most.
Martin Plaut 