The United States has paused portions of its foreign aid programs to Somalia and South Sudan over reports of theft, government interference, and mismanagement of U.S.-funded assistance. The move comes as part of the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance policy” toward the misuse of American aid.
In Somalia, the suspension follows the demolition of a U.S.-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse at Mogadishu’s port. U.S. officials alleged that Somali authorities had “illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid for vulnerable Somalis.” The U.S. emphasized that future aid would depend on the Somali government taking accountability and resolving the situation.
In South Sudan, the U.S. Embassy announced partial aid suspensions due to “continued abuse, exploitation, and theft directed against U.S. foreign assistance” by officials at multiple levels of government. Incidents included the detention of a U.S.-linked aid worker for refusing to hand over assets and blocked transfers of U.S.-funded medical supplies. The embassy indicated aid in Ayod County is suspended and that significant reductions are being considered in Bahr el-Ghazal.
Similar concerns related to Somali immigrants have arisen inside the United States, where Somalis have taken advantage the American welfare system. The scheme of siphoning public funds intended for childcare has been used in Minnesota, with U.S. federal authorities launching a high-profile review of alleged fraud.
