US says to resume food aid across Ethiopia after monitoring agreement

The United States said Tuesday it would resume delivering food aid across conflict-ridden Ethiopia after the government agreed to allow monitoring following allegations of diversion to soldiers.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) said it would restart food deliveries next month for an initial year, during which it will verify whether the government keeps its promises.

USAID said that Ethiopia agreed in negotiations to enhanced monitoring including tracking of donated food.

"These widespread and significant reforms will fundamentally shift Ethiopia's food aid system and help ensure aid reaches those experiencing acute food insecurity," USAID spokeswoman Jessica Jennings said.

"Given the significant number of people in need of food assistance in Ethiopia, we are pleased these important reforms will allow the delivery of food assistance to those who need it most," she said.

USAID halted all food aid to Ethiopia in June, alleging a "widespread and coordinated" campaign to divert donated supplies.

The United States has not publicly named the culprits, but aid groups have blamed both the federal and regional authorities, with soldiers benefitting from the resale of donated food.

USAID partly resumed aid delivery in October but only to refugees on Ethiopian soil as aid workers could better monitor the assistance.

The United States has strongly criticized Ethiopia, which it had considered an ally, over its two-year military campaign in the Tigray region that came after an attack on a military camp.

US officials have alleged that the government deliberately withheld food, using hunger as a weapon of war.

The government and Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) signed a peace deal a year ago in South Africa to end the conflict although fighting remains in other parts of Africa's second most populous country.