Please refer to the attached file.
In northern Ethiopia, the conflict between the Tigray Regional Forces and the National Defence Forces, caused widespread displacement, destroyed crops and infrastructure, and lowered economic activity. As a result of limited humanitarian access, there was widespread acute food insecurity, leading to record-level humanitarian food assistance needs. The ceasefire broke on 24th of August 2022 when parties launched into hostilities and humanitarian access was completely blocked both for flights and convoys. On November 2nd, 2022, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian Federal Government agreed on a permanent cessation of hostilities and the opening of the region to unhindered humanitarian access. Ethiopia Red Cross Society (ERCS) and Djibouti Red Crescent (DJRC) area scaled-up response efforts in Tigray to respond to the overwhelming unmet needs in the region with the first DRC supported food convoys arriving in December 2022.
An estimated 13 million people in northern Ethiopia were in dire need of food assistance including 1.2 million in the Afar region1 This led to severe food insecurity and malnutrition. Over 40,000 children were suffering from acute malnutrition, with overall malnutrition rates for under 5-year-olds ranging from 33% to a shocking 45% in early January 20232 .
The OCHA 2 Feb 2023 situation report revealed that the displacement situation in the Amhara region continued to deteriorate, following reported fighting in areas bordering the North Shewa Zone and the Oromia Special Zone on 21 January. Reportedly, a few hundred thousand were displaced to nearby woredas of North Shewa Zone. A significant number of houses and private properties were allegedly burnt down and destroyed. Partners mobilised food and non-food items such as emergency shelter, amidst road closure and ongoing hostilities. This displacement further deteriorated the humanitarian situation in North Shewa Zone, which requires urgent response.
In northern Ethiopia (the Tigray, Afar and Amhara Regions), a sprawling humanitarian crisis due to armed conflict placed 9.4 million people at risk. Approximately 1.4 million people were displaced with more than 440,000 of them in Tigray. A comprehensive, multisectoral humanitarian response to new and existing displacements in Tigray remained constrained: staff movement was limited due to security concerns and limited access, including restrictions on cash, fuel, and life-saving supplies. More than 225,000 people were displaced in Afar and 732,000 in Amhara. Damage and destruction of schools and health facilities impacted children’s access to inclusive, formal education and prevented access of children and women to essential health and nutrition services, including routine immunization. Protection concerns significantly increased because children were exposed to violence and potential separation from their families. Source (UNICEF. 2023)
Leave a Reply