Washington(Dawan Africa) - The United States has announced a $52 million emergency food aid package through the World Food Program (WFP), naming Djibouti among four countries set to benefit. The other recipients are the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Haiti.
According to the U.S. State Department, the food aid is intended to reach an estimated 1.9 million people, and the commodities will be sourced directly from American farmers and producers.
The package includes 12,702 metric tons of food—specifically yellow split peas, rice, vegetable oil, and Super Cereal Plus, a fortified cereal used in nutritional emergencies. Shipments will depart from prepositioned warehouses in Houston and Djibouti, underscoring Djibouti’s strategic role not just as a beneficiary but also as a regional logistics hub.
“On the humanitarian front, the United States is providing $52 million to the World Food Program to deliver emergency food assistance from American farmers and producers to people in need in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, and Djibouti,” said Tommy Pigott, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the Department of State, during a July 31 press briefing in Washington.
Pigott also reiterated the U.S. commitment to global humanitarian leadership:
“The United States is the largest donor of humanitarian food assistance globally, and the Department continues to call on other donors to provide additional contributions to address global humanitarian needs.”
While U.S. food aid typically targets areas facing widespread famine or conflict, Djibouti’s inclusion reflects growing concern over underreported food insecurity, particularly in rural areas, refugee-hosting zones, and drought-affected regions.
The World Food Program and its partners have previously warned that, despite Djibouti’s role as a transit and humanitarian staging point in the Horn of Africa, pockets of acute need persist—especially among vulnerable communities with limited access to water, nutrition, or economic opportunities.
This latest aid package also marks one of the few humanitarian exceptions following the U.S. government's 2025 decision to dissolve the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as an independent agency and consolidate its functions within the State Department.
The realignment resulted in the suspension or termination of thousands of development projects worldwide. Only “lifesaving” aid—such as food, emergency health, and disaster response—has continued under strict criteria. Analysts say Djibouti’s inclusion may reflect not only its humanitarian needs but also its strategic significance to U.S. interests in the Red Sea and Horn of Africa region.
Although the exact share Djibouti will receive from the $52 million has not yet been disclosed, humanitarian agencies are expected to coordinate with local partners to ensure that assistance reaches migrants, displaced families, and low-income rural communities.
With food insecurity rising across East Africa due to prolonged drought, inflation, and climate shocks, aid officials stress that emergency food alone will not be enough to address long-term needs. However, this move confirms that Djibouti remains central to U.S. humanitarian logistics and regional engagement—even as Washington’s foreign aid priorities continue to narrow.
