Due to widespread theft and poor management, the EU has discontinued its humanitarian assistance to Somalia. According to a UN inquiry, local leaders, property owners, and humanitarian personnel stole aid money. The World Food Programme (WFP) would no longer get money, which raises questions about the humanitarian situation in Somalia.
The executive of the European Union announced on Tuesday that payments for humanitarian aid to Somalia had been “temporarily suspended” as a result of a U.N. inquiry that exposed widespread fraud and abuse of funds meant to fight hunger.
According to senior EU sources, Reuters reported on Monday that the European Commission has temporarily ceased funding the World Food Programme (WFP) in Somalia as a result of the U.N. findings.
On Tuesday, a spokesman for the European Commission named Balazs Ujvari confirmed the temporary suspension. According to standard operating protocols, the continuing operations have received a pre-financing of 80% and can still be carried out with this initial cash, according to Balazs Ujvari. “The Commission has not requested the suspension of humanitarian operations in Somalia,” he said.
However, he continued, “Given the issues raised by the report in question, the Commission had to take some precautionary measures to safeguard the EU funds, and as a result, further disbursements are temporarily suspended until clarifications and assurances are provided as to the resolution of the identified issues.
The U.N. investigation found that landowners, local politicians, security personnel, and relief workers were stealing aid intended for vulnerable people.
Two Somalis who made it to the Muri camp in the city, Mogadishu, after fleeing famine and fighting in the countryside told Reuters that local officials seized their help.
As charity workers voiced grim warnings about an oncoming famine caused by the region’s worst drought in decades last year, donors raised their contributions to Somalia. Studies indicate that the drought could have played a role in up to 43,000 deaths in the previous year.
Individuals in charge should take responsibility and stop taking advantage of humanitarian aid meant to help people in need. In this case, refugees will suffer at the expense of the corrupt leaders and land owners who had been entrusted with the resources. I hope young and upcoming leaders get to understand that integrity is a crucial part of the process when they get entrusted with resources that are meant for a humanitarian cause.
