WFP Halts Aid to 650,000 in Ethiopia Amid Funding Crisis
Date: 24-apr-2025
The World Food Programme (WFP) has announced the suspension of food assistance to 650,000 people in Ethiopia due to a severe funding shortfall, sparking alarm among humanitarian groups and international observers. The decision, which takes immediate effect, comes amid mounting hunger and malnutrition in several Ethiopian regions already grappling with drought, conflict, and economic instability.
Critical Shortfall Threatens Lives
According to WFP officials, the organization needs over $250 million in immediate funding to resume its life-saving operations in Ethiopia. The current budget gap has forced aid agencies to make impossible choices—cutting food rations and suspending deliveries to communities in dire need. “We are facing one of the most painful decisions in humanitarian operations: choosing who eats and who doesn’t,” said a senior WFP representative in Addis Ababa.
Impact on Vulnerable Communities
The aid suspension disproportionately affects rural areas of Ethiopia, where subsistence farming has failed under the pressure of erratic rainfall and land degradation. Many of the 650,000 affected include women, children, and the elderly—those most at risk of severe malnutrition and preventable illness. Without food assistance, communities already on the brink could see a rise in hunger-related deaths and displacement.
Long-Term Implications for Ethiopia
Experts warn that the interruption in food aid will not only deepen the current humanitarian crisis but could also destabilize efforts to rebuild conflict-affected regions. “Food insecurity is not just a matter of hunger—it’s a matter of peace and survival,” said Dr. Meaza Tadesse, a humanitarian analyst based in Nairobi. She notes that food scarcity can fuel social tensions, drive migration, and hinder post-conflict recovery efforts.
Also Read
Calls for Urgent International Support
WFP is calling on international donors and governments to step up with emergency funding to restore operations. The agency is also urging for more predictable and sustained support to ensure food pipelines are not interrupted in future crises. “We need global solidarity, and we need it now,” stressed the WFP’s Ethiopia director.
With climate pressures and economic strain intensifying across the Horn of Africa, humanitarian agencies fear Ethiopia’s situation could become a cautionary tale for a broader regional famine unless swift action is taken.
💬 Leave a Comment
📝 Recent Comments
No comments yet! Be the first one to comment.
