Abiy Quote Misinterpreted as a Threat to Seize Food Aid to Ethiopia
The Claim
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed threatens to stop food aid from entering the country.
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Emerging story
A headline by the Telegraph is widely circulated on social media, which claims that Ethiopian Prime Minister (PM) Abiy Ahmed threatened to stop food aid from entering the country. Users expressed their anger at the statement.
Misbar’s Analysis
Following an investigation by the Misbar team, the claim was found to be misleading.
The quotes in the Telegraph article were translated from Amharic and were made following a visit by Abiy to the wheat production farmlands in various parts of Oromia on 13 October 2021. Abiy stressed that the main focus throughout the country would continue to be on food security and strengthening our capacity for self-reliance. Ethiopia is a net importer of wheat despite being the third-largest wheat producer on the continent. The PM also emphasized the need for effective utilization of agricultural potentials to ensure food self-sufficiency.
Based on the findings, the quote was more related to increased food security and promoting self-reliance through improved wheat production and not directed as a threat to stop humanitarian assistance to the region. Therefore, the Misbar team finds the claim as well as the headline misleading and sensationalist.
