Calling the situation in Ethiopia’s northern regions unpredictable and volatile, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday (Dec. 14) the hostilities-triggered large-scale evacuation of homes is primarily and significantly increasing relief needs.
Since September, the number of internally displaced people in Afar and Amhara has gone up significantly due to increased hostilities, but the exact numbers have not been verified due to the fluidity of movements and access constraints, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
The International Organization for Migration reports more than 2.1 million people fled their homes at the end of September, including more than one million in Afar and Amhara.
About 20 truckloads of food supplies arrived on Monday in Mekelle, the regional capital of embattled Tigray. They traveled the Afar-Abala-Mekelle corridor, OCHA said. On Tuesday and Wednesday, 40 more trucks are due.
The UN Children’s Fund said it shipped measles vaccines and related supplies to Tigray, where an estimated 790,000 children require vaccination. However, it has not secured enough fuel to launch the campaign.
“It is critical that a regular flow of humanitarian aid into the region is sustained, including fuel and medical supplies,” OCHA said. “As we have noted previously, 500 trucks of humanitarian supplies are required each week.”
With the humanitarian situation in Tigray continuing to deteriorate, aid partners are responding to urgent and growing needs across Ethiopia, “despite the highly challenging operating environment,” the office said.
It cited below-average rains resulting in drought conditions in the Somali and Oromia regions affecting 5.8 million people.
Humanitarian funding for Ethiopia falls short of the goal by more than $1.2 billion, OCHA said. (Xinhua) – jlo
