MOGADISHU (SD) – The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has officially accepted responsibility for the theft of humanitarian aid from a warehouse belonging to the World Food Programme (WFP) in Mogadishu.

A press release from the Somali Ministry of Finance stated that all items taken from the warehouse have been returned to WFP. Additionally, the government has provided the organization with a larger and more suitable warehouse than the previous one to ensure the security and continuity of humanitarian operations.

The Somali government also expressed regret over the incident and pledged to take measures to prevent the recurrence of such events.

Earlier this month, the United States government announced the suspension of aid to the Federal Government of Somalia following reports that government officials were involved in the looting of a WFP warehouse, resulting in the loss of 76 metric tons of food aid intended for vulnerable Somalis.

The U.S. government stated at the time that aid would only resume once the Somali government fully accepts responsibility for what occurred and corrects the mistakes that were made.

The FGS’s acceptance of responsibility is not an admission of guilt but a strategic move to appease its most critical donor, the United States. By publicly accepting blame, returning the aid, and providing a new warehouse, Mogadishu is performing the exact actions demanded by Washington to potentially restore the suspended aid lifeline. This is less about accountability and more about transactional compliance to unlock frozen funds.

The claim that “all items taken… have been returned” is remarkable and likely symbolic or partial. In a context of systemic corruption, recovering stolen aid in full is highly unusual. This suggests either an unprecedented enforcement action against the perpetrators or, more likely, a political arrangement where the government compensated WFP for the loss to create a narrative of resolution. The “larger and more suitable warehouse” is a tangible concession to improve WFP’s operational security under government oversight.

This statement is a direct, point-by-point response to the U.S. conditions: accept responsibility, correct the mistake (by providing a new warehouse), and pledge prevention. It is a public demonstration of compliance aimed squarely at the U.S. State Department and Congress. The FGS is betting that this performative accountability will be enough to trigger a review and eventual resumption of aid.

While aimed externally, this admission has domestic repercussions. It publicly confirms high-level government corruption, which could embolden opposition critics and erode public trust. However, by framing it as a resolved incident with corrective measures, the government hopes to contain the damage. The key test is whether any high-ranking officials are actually prosecuted, or if the “responsibility” remains abstract and institutional.

The U.S. suspension was about more than one warehouse; it was about systemic corruption and governance failures. While this response addresses the specific incident, it does not tackle the root causes. The U.S. will likely demand broader, verifiable anti-corruption reforms and tangible results in governance before fully restoring aid. This statement is a necessary first step, but likely insufficient on its own.