Millions urgently need food in Ethiopia’s Tigray region despite the resumption of aid deliveries

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA
Associated Press

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Only a small fraction of millions of needy people in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region are receiving food aid, according to an aid memo seen by The Associated Press. That’s more than one month after aid agencies resumed deliveries of grain following a lengthy pause over massive theft. The memo says 14% of 3.2 million people targeted for food aid by humanitarian agencies this month had received it by Jan. 21. The U.N. and the U.S. had paused food aid to Tigray last March after discovering a “large-scale” scheme to steal grain. U.S. officials believe the theft may be the biggest such diversion ever.