US resumes food aid to Somalia

U.S. President Donald Trump takes the stage to speak during a rally at the Horizon Events Centre on January 27, 2026 in Clive, Iowa. [AFP]

The United States on Thursday announced the resumption of food distribution in Somalia, weeks after the destruction of a US-funded World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse at Mogadishu's port.

In early January, Washington suspended aid to Somalia over reports of theft and government interference, saying Somali officials had "illegally seized 76 metric tons of donor-funded food aid meant for vulnerable Somalis."

US officials then warned any future aid would depend on the Somali government taking accountability, a stance Mogadishu countered by saying the warehouse demolition was part of the port's "expansion and repurposing works."

On Wednesday, however, the Somali government said "all WFP commodities affected by port expansion have been returned".

In a statement Somalia said it "takes full responsibility" and has "provided the World Food Program with a larger and more suitable warehouse within the Mogadishu port area."

The US State Department said in a post on X that: "We will resume WFP food distribution while continuing to review our broader assistance posture in Somalia."

"The Trump Administration maintains a firm zero tolerance policy for waste, theft, or diversion of US resources," it said.

US president Donald Trump has slashed aid over the past year globally.

Somalis in the United States have also become a particular target for the administration in recent weeks, targeted in immigration raids.

They have also been accused of large-scale public benefit fraud in Minnesota, which has the largest Somali community in the country with around 80,000 members.