Jacaylbaro Posted August 16, 2011 READ FULL STORY: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/08/201181603949591938.html The UN has acknowledged that it has been investigating food theft in Somalia for two months. Stefano Porretti, the World Food Programme's Somalia country director, said on Monday that the agency's system of independent, third-party monitors has uncovered possible food diversion. Sacks of grain, peanut butter snacks and other food staples meant for starving Somalis are being stolen and sold in markets, the Associated Press news agency had reported. The report raised concerns that businessmen have been undermining international famine relief efforts in a country grappling for control of territory with al-Shabab rebel fighters. An official in Mogadishu with extensive knowledge of the food trade, spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. He said that he believed that up to half of recent aid deliveries had been stolen. The WFP, however, said that it rejected the scale of diversions alleged by the official. The UN agency said it was "confident the vast majority of humanitarian food is reaching starving people in Mogadishu". The WFP said that the AP report of "thousands" of bags of stolen food would only amount to less than one per cent of one month's distribution for Somalia. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
