MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – The European Union executive has temporarily blocked financing for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Somalia, two senior EU officials said on Monday, following a U.N. probe that uncovered widespread theft and misuse of food designed to avoid starvation.
According to U.N. records, the European Commission contributed more than $7 million to the World Food Programme’s activities in Somalia last year, a fraction of the more than $1 billion in total donations received.
EU member states contributed far more money. It was unclear whether any other countries would likewise withhold aid.
The European Commission’s spokesperson, Balazs Ujvari, neither acknowledged nor denied a temporary suspension, but said: “So far, the EU has not been informed by its UN partners of a financial impact on EU-funded projects.”
“However,” he said, “we will continue to monitor the situation and adhere to our zero-tolerance approach to fraud, corruption, or misconduct.”
The World Food Programme did not immediately reply to calls for comment.
According to a senior EU source, the decision was made after the United Nations inquiry revealed that landowners, local governments, members of the security forces, and humanitarian workers were all implicated in taking supplies intended for vulnerable people.
According to this person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the aid will be reinstated if the WFP met further requirements, such as vetting of partners on the ground in Somalia. That was verified by a second senior EU official.
A third source, apparently an EU official, stated that the Commission was “actively cooperating with WFP to resolve systemic defects,” but that no aid has been halted at this time.
According to a copy acquired by Reuters, the July 7 study, labelled “strictly confidential,” was commissioned by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The report’s contents were initially published on Monday by Devex, an international development media organisation.
It identified internally displaced individuals (IDPs) who said they were forced to pay up to half of the monetary assistance they received to those in positions of authority in order to avoid eviction, detention, or removal from beneficiary lists.
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