Ireland will contribute an additional €3.1 million to support the international response to the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia: €1.5 million to the Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund, €1 million to UNHCR, €100,000 to Plan International and 118 tonnes of emergency supplies worth €500,000 to be distributed by Trócaire. The additional funding brings Ireland’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia to €6.8 million for 2018.
The Tánaiste and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney T.D., and Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, Ciarán Cannon T.D., today announced further support from Ireland to the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia. Ireland is contributing an additional €1.5 million to the Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund, €1 million to United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), €100,000 to Plan International and has dispatched 118 tonnes of emergency relief supplies worth over €500,000 to provide life-saving support to those most in need in the country.
Ethiopia is in its third consecutive year of a humanitarian crisis driven by drought and exacerbated by conflict. The situation has deteriorated in recent months as inter-communal violence along the border of Oromia and Southern Nations and Nationalities Peoples region has led some 1 million people to flee their homes in West Guji (Oromia) and Gedeo (SNNPR) zones. This new wave of displacements means that since last year an estimated 2.6 million Ethiopians across the country have fled their homes and livelihoods due to conflict, drought and flooding. In addition to the internal displacement, almost one million people have also sought refuge in Ethiopia from conflict in neighbouring countries. A total of 8.5 million people are now urgently in need of humanitarian assistance and the Government and the United Nations have issued humanitarian appeals amounting to US$1.6 billion to address the crisis.
Today’s contribution of €3.1 million will bring Ireland’s total funding to the international humanitarian response in Ethiopia to €6.8 million for 2018.
The contribution will provide emergency assistance through international and national NGOs and UN agencies, ensuring that the most urgent needs can be met quickly, be they for food, shelter, health or protection of the most vulnerable. Ireland is also providing 118 tonnes of emergency relief supplies under its Rapid Response Initiative. The supplies, which include blankets, mosquito nets, hygiene kits and jerry cans, will be distributed by Trócaire to 2,000 vulnerable households displaced by drought in southern Ethiopia.
Announcing the assistance, the Tánaiste said:
Ireland will continue to support the international humanitarian response in Ethiopia, which is experiencing one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. We will also continue to work with our EU and UN partners not only in responding where needs are greatest but also to support the Government of Ethiopia to build its resilience in the face of three years of severe drought.
As part of Ireland’s response, I have decided to allocate an additional €1.5 million to the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund, €1 million to UNHCR and €100,000 to Plan International to support urgent life-saving assistance. We will also dispatch 118 tonnes of essential relief supplies under our Rapid Response Initiative to be distributed by Trócaire.
Minister Cannon added:
As well as providing support to our UN humanitarian partners and through our Rapid Response Initiative, Irish Aid has also consistently supported the humanitarian work of many of our NGO partners in Ethiopia including Plan International, Concern Worldwide and the International Rescue Committee. We are proud of the work of our NGO partners to alleviate the suffering of the people of Ethiopia.
Ireland has consistently provided humanitarian support to the people of Ethiopia and we remain committed to responding where the needs are greatest.