U.N. Says U.S. Delays Food Aid to Somalia

State Dept. Confirms Concerns That Militants Will Intercept Food Shipments Prompted Temporary Suspension

(AP)  The United Nations says it's running out of food for millions of starving Somalis in part because the United States is delaying aid amid fears it could be intercepted by militants linked to al Qaeda.

Starting last month, the U.N. World Food Program has cut rations by up to half for some people in the lawless, impoverished east African nation and will run out of supplies in December, the Rome-based agency said Saturday.

"WFP's food assistance supply line to Somalia is effectively broken," said Peter Smerdon, a spokesman for the agency in Nairobi, Kenya. "The pipeline break is partly because (the U.S. government) has delayed U.S. assistance to Somalia."

The U.S. State Department confirmed it had concerns that militants could get their hands on humanitarian assistance and had temporarily suspended food shipments.

"Renewal of some U.S. non-food humanitarian programs was delayed while we reviewed conditions on the ground and their impact on our programs," said Laura Tischler, a State Department spokeswoman.

"U.S. food aid deliveries to Somalia were temporarily suspended while we conducted our review," she said. "However, the food aid pipeline for Somalia has not been broken."

The shortfall in aid lamented by the United Nations was first reported Friday by The New York Times.

Other factors contributing to the problem include a drop in donations caused by the world economic crisis and an increased need for aid across the Horn of Africa, Smerdon said.

The United States is WFP's largest donor, providing usually about half of the food aid that the agency delivers to 2.2 million people in Somalia. The country has been crippled by 18 years of civil war, an Islamic insurgency, high food prices and a severe drought.

So far this year, the State Department says the United States has provided $179 million to help Somalis, including $124 million in food aid.

Smerdon said WFP and other humanitarian agencies were discussing with U.S. officials and other donor countries measures that would prevent aid from being diverted to al-Shabab. The Islamic militant group is linked to al Qaeda and controls much of southern Somalia.

"WFP understands the concern of the United States and other donors regarding the appropriate utilization of resources in Somalia," Smerdon said. "We remain hopeful that the United States will continue to fund food relief programs in Somalia, understanding the difficult and complex political and operational environment in which agencies such as WFP must work."

Smerdon declined to discuss which measures were being considered, citing the sensitivity of the talks.

He said the agency was willing to provide "sufficient assurances" while stressing the "need to preserve WFP's neutrality as a humanitarian actor."

Tischler said the American government wanted to ensure that the delivery of aid in Somalia complies "with U.S. laws designed to prevent potential support to terrorists, including to al-Shabab, and to ensure that it effectively helps the Somalis who need it."

[ffoulkes-2009]

If the UN wants to provide this food to our enemies, let them...just not our food.

[finkfurst]

by ffoulkes-2009 November 9, 2009 1:09 AM EST
If the UN wants to provide this food to our enemies, let them...just not our food.
-----------------------------
Why? Do you think Americans are short of food?????????????????

[6591Hou]

The story is a farce.... the U.S. is delaying U.S. shipments, not holding up the entire U.N. effort. The same U.N. that was trading food for oil under the table with Saddam Hussein is complaining because the U.S. doesn't want aid shipments to be diverted to Al Queada? It's insanity.

[Dgunner]

I say print counterfiet money allow it to be distributed among the warmongers. Then track the money and make it worthless by declaration.Then sit and follow the wave of economic impact.This would allow a trail to be uncovered and the truth revealed. The food is not monetary exchange unless there is a black market to support it.Flood the black market with counterfiet money. When peploe attempt to spend the money ?> Just take it away from them and tell them it is useless. Create a backlash for undertable trading and theft.

[rocketjl]

That means the United Nations is a worthless and ungrateful organization without the United States. However, it feels free to chastise the US and put pressure on the US for things it's leaders want done. Why isn't Russia or China putting in more food??? Maybe it is time the US moved on.

[barbaram99]

Why are they not taught to grow their food..Years ago did we not teach other nations to grow their food.

[thesevenveils]

al Qaeda, backed by the oil money from Saudi Arabia, is fighting a silent but terrible horrific war against mankind to promote their perverse version of religion and politics. When will this nation be held accountable for its actions by the world?

[finkfurst]

America, in pursuit of oil from many countries, is fighting a hypocritical and terrible horrific war against mankind to promote their own interests, in the nameof their perverse version of religion and politics. When will this nation be held accountable for its actions by the world?

[Gin99G]

Why can't they just fly in supplies and set camps nearby for ease and speed in delivery? is it that difficult?

[thesevenveils]

Notice the USA is THE LARGEST DONOR OF FOOD TO THIS SUNNI, that's right, SUNNI MUSLIM COUNTRY! What kind of war against Islam is fought with kindness like this? Saudi Arabia, nor Iran, not ANY OTHER ISLAMIC NATION are involved in the UN (World's) attempts to stabilize this country, feed its hungry and provide something as simple as clean drinking water. Water borne illnesses are the biggest threat to its population, next to fanatics driven by al Qaeda's corrupt vision of religon and government.

SO, IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA, when are you going to stop giving them guns and RPGs and start giving them the basic necessities to begin to have a resemblance of a civilized life? Islamic charities my arse.

[curiously1]

How many more decades will it take until Somalia can finally take care of itself? Generation after generation, this sorry excuse for a country is pimping food from other countries. They can't take care of themselves but they reproduce kids after kids like an assembly line. Pathetic bastards. I say no more help.

[whatithink-2009]

Somalia had a government that the US didn't like and overthrew in 2006. We are very much involved in this including foreign countries who go there to steal the fish and force fishermen into piracy. There are two sides to every story.

[talltimber41]

Darn Cheney is at it again.

[talltimber41]

Darn Cheney is at it again.

[kmwaugh]

Let them die. Even the women and children - they consort with Islamic rebels and pirates, and breed more Isalmic rebels and pirates. Let them all die, and then give Somalia to Ethiopia to incorporate.

[whatithink-2009]

You are shameful.

[dontknowitall]

Where were the Somalis when American soldiers were being slaughtered by the warlords henchmen. Let the UN clean up their own mess for a change. We are not the worlds Police Force or the World Bank.

[mawskrat]

Islam produces nothing but poverty and misery Inshallah

[armyoftwelve]

Clearly the lack of pluralism in somali society is a huge part of the problem in that country. Where I am from all of the other African immigrants look down on the somalians because many of them are lazy and clannish.

[SAMTORRES66]

U.N. Says U.S. Delays Food Aid to Somalia...OK?!

where the hell is CHINA, GERMANY, SPAIN ,FRANCE, INDIA, ENGLAND, AUSTRALIA, EGYPT , SAUDI ARABIA TO HELP OUT? Just to name a few..

[mljohns00]

Militants need food, too. If they weren't starving, maybe they wouldn't be militants anymore?

[1notrub11]

He said the agency was willing to provide "sufficient assurances" while stressing the "need to preserve WFP's neutrality as a humanitarian actor."

All well and good. No problem with the concept.

What do they do if someone tries to "divert" said aid to a party other than the intended beneficiary? Turn a blind eye? If the UN is going to be a mediator of such aid deliveries, it seems to me that they have an obligation to see that it gets to the recipients, if they expect continued donations.