By HAN News Desk
MOGADISHU — Emerging documentation and official correspondence indicate that no humanitarian aid was looted during the destruction of a World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Mogadishu, contradicting claims circulated in some political circles in the United States. Instead, the incident has been cited by analysts and aid officials as an example of how humanitarian issues are being politicized and used to fuel accusations against Somalis.
A spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Programme confirmed that the agency is working closely with the Federal Government of Somalia to address the situation and to ensure the safety and proper storage of food supplies following the damage to the facility known as the “blue warehouse.”
The warehouse had contained approximately 75 metric tons of specialized nutritional food, intended for pregnant and breastfeeding women, adolescent girls, and young children suffering from malnutrition. WFP described the facility as critical to its emergency operations at a time when nearly a quarter of Somalia’s population — about 4.4 million people — is facing food insecurity.
According to an official cargo handover document issued by the Mogadishu Port Authority and dated January 7, which was reviewed by Reuters, the food supplies had already been fully transferred to WFP custody prior to the warehouse’s destruction. The document states that the food was removed from the blue warehouse and relocated to another storage facility.
The handover record bears the signature of a senior WFP Somalia official and notes that the agency would carry out final acceptance of the food after laboratory testing to confirm that it remained fit for human consumption.
Further correspondence shows that the Somali Ministry of Ports and Marine Transport had formally notified WFP as early as November that the warehouse would need to be vacated by December 31, due to a planned expansion of port offices. Aid officials say this demonstrates that the relocation of the food stocks was pre-planned, lawful, and coordinated, rather than the result of theft or corruption.
“These documents make it clear that the food was not stolen or diverted,” said a source familiar with the matter. “The transfer was conducted according to procedure, with full knowledge of both Somali authorities and WFP.”
The controversy has unfolded amid heightened political tensions between Washington and Mogadishu. The Trump administration has adopted a hardline immigration stance, including travel restrictions on Somali nationals and increased scrutiny of immigration cases involving people of Somali origin. Human rights advocates argue that these measures disproportionately target Somalis.
Analysts say allegations surrounding the WFP warehouse were amplified by political campaign groups aligned with former President Donald Trump, using the incident as political ammunition to reinforce negative narratives about Somalia and its people.
Humanitarian organizations have warned that politicizing aid operations risks undermining lifesaving assistance in one of the world’s most fragile contexts.
“Misrepresenting humanitarian logistics for political gain damages trust and ultimately harms vulnerable communities,” a senior aid official said.
WFP has reiterated its commitment to continuing food assistance in Somalia and emphasized that safeguarding aid delivery remains its top priority despite the controversy.
