By Edidiong Anii-Bassey
Somalia’s government on Thursday forcefully denied allegations from the United States that authorities in Mogadishu destroyed an American-funded warehouse used by the World Food Program and seized food aid intended for some of the country’s most vulnerable civilians, deepening tensions between the longtime partners.
The denial followed an announcement from the U.S. State Department a day earlier that Washington had suspended all assistance to Somalia’s federal government in response to the allegations. U.S. officials said the decision reflects what they described as a strict policy against the misuse or diversion of humanitarian aid, particularly assistance meant to save lives in crisis zones.
According to a senior U.S. State Department official, authorities operating at the Port of Mogadishu demolished a warehouse used by the World Food Program, a United Nations agency headquartered in Rome, and did so under the direction of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The official said the action was taken without prior notice or coordination with international donors, including the United States, and resulted in the seizure of food aid funded by American taxpayers. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal diplomatic reporting from the region.
Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs sharply disputed that account, insisting that no food aid was destroyed or improperly taken. In a statement, the ministry said the commodities referenced in recent reports remain under the custody and control of the World Food Program, including supplies provided by the United States. Somali officials emphasized that humanitarian assistance has not been diverted and continues to be managed by international partners responsible for its distribution.
The ministry acknowledged that construction activity is underway at the Port of Mogadishu, describing it as part of broader expansion and redevelopment efforts aimed at improving port infrastructure. However, it said those works have not interfered with the storage, custody or delivery of humanitarian aid. The government did not provide further technical details about the port project or the circumstances surrounding the warehouse in question.
The World Food Program did not immediately respond to requests for comment or clarification, leaving key questions unanswered as both governments traded sharply different versions of events.
In its statement, Somalia’s government sought to reassure donors, saying it remains fully committed to humanitarian principles, transparency and accountability. It also stressed the importance it places on its partnership with the United States and other international supporters, many of whom play a central role in sustaining food, health and development programs across the country.
The aid suspension comes at a sensitive moment in U.S.-Somalia relations. The Trump administration has recently intensified its criticism of Somali refugees and migrants in the United States, including allegations of fraud tied to child care centers in Minnesota.
At the same time, Washington has imposed stricter limits on Somali immigration and made it more difficult for some Somalis already living in the United States to maintain legal status, moves that have drawn concern from advocacy groups and members of the Somali diaspora.
It remains unclear how much funding will ultimately be affected by the suspension, in part because the Trump administration has sharply reduced overall foreign aid spending, dismantled key elements of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and has not released updated country-by-country aid figures.
During the final year of President Joe Biden’s administration, the United States provided approximately $770 million in assistance for projects in Somalia, though only a small portion of that funding was directed to the Somali government itself, with the bulk channeled through humanitarian agencies and non-governmental organizations.
Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, is among the poorest countries in the world and has endured decades of conflict, political instability and insecurity. Those challenges have been compounded by recurring natural disasters, including prolonged droughts that have pushed millions of people toward hunger and displacement. International aid, particularly food assistance, remains a lifeline for large segments of the population.
As the dispute unfolds, humanitarian groups and diplomats are watching closely for signs of resolution, wary that prolonged tensions between Mogadishu and Washington could disrupt aid flows at a time when Somalia’s needs remain acute.
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