Gov’t to Prioritize Humanitarian Assistance, Recovery & Peace Building in Tigray: Minister

Ababa February 9/2021 (ENA)  Finance Minister Ahmed Shide said the government will prioritize on effective delivery of humanitarian assistance, accelerated recovery, and peace building in Tigray.

Updating the Executive Committee of Development Partners Group (DPG) on recent developments in Tigray region, Ahmed said the government’s priorities in the coming months will be effective delivery of humanitarian assistance to all affected people, accelerated recovery and peace building.

Explaining the incident that forced the government to undertake the law and enforcement operation in the region, the minister said the intervention was carried out with possible maximum care for the wellbeing and safety of civilians.

However, despite the care taken deliberate subversion and purposeful distraction of infrastructure by the TPLF has resulted in major humanitarian and development challenges, Ahmed elaborated.  

Further explaining the progress made in recent weeks on humanitarian and recovery aspects, the minister said humanitarian assistance has reached 1.8 million people with emergency food distribution, and over 305,000 quintals of grain have been distributed.

Emergency food distribution has also reached 26,000 Eritrean refugees residing in two camps in the region.

Ahmed urged for the continued support of development partners to urgently reach the needy, in particular infants, children, pregnant and lactating mothers who are the most vulnerable.

He added that the government is committed to working with development partners to deliver humanitarian assistance to 2.5 million people in Tigray.

“I appreciate the recent proactive engagement from development partners, especially United Nations agencies in ensuring humanitarian assistance needs in Tigray are attained. The Government of Ethiopia is expediting all the necessary facilitation and support for all development partners to be able to efficiently deliver humanitarian assistance.” 

To further enhance and expedite delivery of assistance, the minster said, “the government is moving with urgency on approving requests for humanitarian staff movement into and within the region.”

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Catherine Sozi thanked the Government of Ethiopia for the leadership it has shown in terms of delivering humanitarian assistance to 1.8 million affected people.

On behalf of the DAG executive committee, she emphasized on the continued need for more collaboration to address additional people in need.

As normalcy returns, DAG members remain keen to work on peace and rehabilitation programs.

The need to further enhance logistics support such as having a more efficient clearance system for supply and travel permission for humanitarian work was also raised as areas for improvement in the current humanitarian work.

Sozi also called upon DAG members to continue their support for the Government of Ethiopia as it upholds its responsibilities to assist refugees and other vulnerable populations in the country.

The meeting was concluded with Ahmed emphasizing that both the government and development partners are working for the same objective to ensure the speedy delivery of humanitarian assistance and recovery efforts to those affected in Tigray.

DAG comprises 30 bilateral and multilateral development partners.