Summary
- More than 60,000 metric tonnes of U.S. food aid sitting in storage
- Food stocks stuck due to USAID cuts and at risk of expiry
- Trump’s aid cuts coincide with increasing global hunger levels
- USAID decommissioning causing disruption in aid distribution
By Jessica Donati, Emma Farge, Ammu Kannampilly and Jonathan Landay
May 16 (Reuters) – Food rations that could supply 3.5 million people for a month are languishing in warehouses across the globe due to U.S. aid cuts, risking becoming unusable, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The food stocks have been trapped in four U.S. government warehouses since the Trump administration’s decision to cut global aid programs in January, sources reveal.
Some of the stocks, set to expire as early as July, are likely to be disposed of through incineration or other means, sources suggest.
The warehouses, managed by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), hold between 60,000 to 66,000 metric tonnes of food sourced from American producers.
An inventory list for the warehouses indicated a variety of commodities valued at over $98 million.
The dismantling of USAID and reduction in humanitarian aid spending by President Trump come as global hunger levels rise due to conflict and climate change, pushing more people towards famine.
According to the World Food Programme, 343 million individuals are facing acute food insecurity globally, with 1.9 million on the brink of famine.
SOME FOOD LIKELY TO BE DESTROYED
Despite waivers for some humanitarian programs, cancellation of contracts and freezing of funds have left food stocks stranded in warehouses.
A proposal to distribute the stocks to aid organizations is pending approval from the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance.
High-energy biscuits stored in a USAID warehouse in Dubai are among the items set to expire in July.
USAID plans to terminate most of its staff in July and September as part of the agency’s shutdown process.
CHILDREN DYING
The U.S. is the largest humanitarian aid donor globally, disbursing $61 billion in foreign assistance last year.
U.S. food aid includes ready-to-use therapeutic food like high-energy biscuits and Plumpy’Nut.
UNICEF warns of RUTF shortages in 17 countries due to funding cuts, impacting millions of malnourished children.
CUTS CAUSING CHAOS
The Bureau for Humanitarian Affairs faces turmoil due to the Trump administration’s aid cutbacks.
Contract cancellations raise concerns about future aid distribution.
The fate of USAID warehouses in Djibouti and Dubai remains uncertain.
The WFP declines to comment on the stranded food stocks.
Efforts are ongoing to ensure the needs of vulnerable populations are advocated for amidst the aid disruptions.
(Reporting by Ammu Kannampilly in Nairobi, Jessica Donati in Dakar, Emma Farge in Geneva and Jonathan Landay in Washington; Writing by Ammu Kannampilly; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
