USAID suspends food aid in Southern Ethiopia

ESAT News (December 12, 2018)

The United States Aid for International Development (USAID) says it had to suspend its food aid program in Southern Ethiopia due to ethnic violence in the area.

USAID Ethiopia director, Leslie Reeds told the Ethiopian Television that the suspension will affect 140,000 recipients of food aid in Kercha, Bule Hora and Gelana areas.

Last week, the director said, an unidentified group had stolen food that would have fed 800 people for a month and harassed employees of the Agency.

The conflict between the Gedeo and Guji communities has so far claimed the lives of at least 300 people and resulted in the displacement of close to a million.