Somalia’s government has denied U.S. allegations that authorities in the capital destroyed an American-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse and seized food aid intended for vulnerable civilians, a dispute that has led Washington to suspend all assistance to the federal government.
The U.S. State Department announced the suspension this week, citing a zero-tolerance policy for the waste, theft or diversion of humanitarian aid. A senior U.S. official said the warehouse at Mogadishu Port was demolished on the orders of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud without prior notification to donors, and that food stored there had been seized.
Somalia’s foreign ministry rejected the accusation, saying the aid was neither destroyed nor diverted and remains under the custody of the World Food Programme. It said port expansion works had not disrupted humanitarian operations and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the handling of international assistance.
Opposition figures, however, have called for an independent investigation into the incident.
“This is deeply concerning, particularly as Somalia faces a worsening drought,” said Abdurahman Abdishakur Warsameh, an opposition lawmaker. “Government clarification alone is not sufficient. Any damage to or repurposing of humanitarian facilities during a crisis is irresponsible and requires a transparent, independent review.”
Somalia remains heavily reliant on international aid, with the United States providing about $770 million in assistance last year. Only a small portion of that funding was channelled directly through the federal government.
It remains unclear how much aid will be affected by Washington’s decision to suspend assistance, or how long the pause will remain in place.