Nearly five months after suspending food aid in Ethiopia because of a massive scheme to steal donated grain, the United Nations World Food Program has begun testing small distribution programs in some areas of Ethiopia. As the World Food Program begins food deliveries to approximately 100,000 people out of 20 million impacted by the suspension, The Associated Press reports that officials have added new security measures. The backgroundThe people who need the food aid the most are also most affected by the stoppage. After several years of civil war and extended drought, some 20 million people countrywide were accessing food aid. Its suspension of food aid will continue while it negotiates with Ethiopia’s government for reforms of a system long controlled by local authorities.

Source: Ethiopian News August 09, 2023 15:24 UTC