The World Food Programme (WFP) said it is rolling out comprehensive, systemic measures to prevent further misuse of life-saving aid in response to the discovery of widespread diversion of humanitarian food assistance in Ethiopia last month.
WFP immediately began an investigation and is enhancing safeguards and controls to ensure that necessary assistance reaches the most vulnerable women, men, and children, WFP said Wednesday in a statement.
WFP paused food distributions in the Tigray region after finding evidence of significant food aid sales in local markets.
“WFP has zero tolerance for theft or diversion that prevents critical food from reaching the hungry families who need it to survive,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain.
“Those found responsible must be held accountable. We are committed to doing everything it takes to guarantee that food assistance benefits the people who need it most.” McCain said in a statement.
To prevent further diversion, WFP has put in place a comprehensive plan which will be enacted across all WFP operations in Ethiopia including implementing real-time food security and needs assessments to prioritize those most in need and strengthening targeting and management of beneficiary lists and identity checks, reinforcing commodity tracking to follow food movements from warehouses to beneficiaries; and increasing monitoring, community feedback and reporting mechanisms to unearth and quickly escalate issues on misuse, including full transparency with all stakeholders..
MG/abj/APA