U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen has pressed the State Department to continue funding Ethiopia’s Joint Emergency Operation (JEOP), warning that a cutoff in June 2026 could deepen hunger among millions of vulnerable people. In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the New Hampshire Democrat said the end of support for the program would leave acutely food-insecure Ethiopians without critical assistance during a period of rising humanitarian need.
Shaheen said the program’s closure, combined with U.S. restructuring of food-aid channels, could trigger a humanitarian crisis for as many as 3.1 million people, including more than one million internally displaced people. She noted that the lean and rainy season from June through September typically worsens food insecurity and makes aid delivery more difficult.
The senator specifically urged the State Department to restore funding for market-based assistance for internally displaced people in northern Ethiopia. She also called on Washington to reaffirm its commitment to the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, which ended the war between Ethiopia’s federal government and forces in Tigray.
Shaheen argued that without additional funding and commodity procurement, both food and market-based assistance would disappear just as needs peak. She warned that the interruption could leave the most food-insecure communities exposed at a time when transport and access are already strained by heavy rains.
The letter comes amid concerns in humanitarian circles that the winding down of JEOP could weaken emergency support in Ethiopia at a critical moment. It also highlights growing pressure on the U.S. administration to maintain its diplomatic engagement on Ethiopia alongside food assistance.
