Emirates Red Crescent Donates 50 Mn Birr to Build Houses for 1000 IDP Households

Addis Ababa July 25/2018 The Emirates Red Crescent has donated 50 million Birr that would enable to build 1000 houses for internally displaced people (IDPs) from Bale, Gujji and Borena Zones of Oromia Regional State. Emirates Red Crescent signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) today to support the displaced people. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Emirates Red Crescent Disaster Preparedness and Response Section Head Saeed Mohamed Al Khemeiri said United Arab Emirate (UAE) will strengthen its support for displaced Ethiopians. He said that Emirate Red Crescent will build the houses in three phases to benefit 1000 households, adding that UAE will expand the support in various regions of Ethiopia in addition to Oromia Region which is identified as the most vulnerable. On his part, Deputy Commissioner of NDRMC Damena Derota said UAE support to IDPs in the provision of housing to address the shelter gaps is highly appreciated as it supplements food aid. He further stated that the United Arab Emirates has been donating food items like flour and oil for IDPs in Ethiopia, particularly in the three zones of Oromia Regional State to cope the food insecurity situation. As the government is continuously addressing the gaps of disaster response requirement, it will work hard to manage all kinds of hazards, Damena added. The Ethiopian Government, with partners support, is responding to the impacts of inter-communal violence along Oromia-Somali border since September 2017 and Gujji and Gediyo Zones. Currently, at least 2 million people have been displaced by conflicts as of mid-April 2018 due to inter-communal conflicts, it was learned.