Press Releases

USAID Announces New Emergency Food Aid Contribution to Somalia

U.S. Embassy, Nairobi, Kenya

Press Release
September 30, 2008

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announces a contribution of over 47,000 metric tons (MT) of food aid to help the approximately 3.2 million people in need of assistance in Somalia.  The shipment includes 38,350 MT of sorghum, 990 MT of vegetable oil, and 8,000MT of corn soy blend.  This food aid will be programmed through the World Food Program and is the initial USAID contribution to Somalia for Fiscal Year 2009, which will start on October 1, 2008.

Somalia is in the grips of a humanitarian emergency.  It has been racked by several years of bad harvests, increasing inflation and rising commodity prices, as well as protracted civil conflict, mainly in its southern and central regions.  Somalia suffers from extreme rates of malnutrition, large scale population movements, and high prices for basic commodities. 
This donation represents the United States government’s commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in Somalia.  The United State Government believes that only a durable political solution will end the violence and instability in the country.

The United States is the largest donor of food aid in the world and has provided more than $2.2 billion in food aid worldwide, to date, in fiscal year 2008, including $198 million for Somalia.

The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development, have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50 years.