EU, Ethiopia Sign over 33 Million Euros Grant for Disaster Risk Reduction

Addis Ababa May 08//2019 Ethiopia and the European Union have signed 33.5 million Euros grant agreement for EU-TRUST Fund for Disaster Risk Reduction project today.

The project focuses on strengthening households, communities and and local authorities to manage and adapt to disasters and other risks, thus reducing humanitarian and economic impact including forced displacement and irregular migration, according to Ministry of Finance.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Finance State Minister Admasu Nebebe said this financial grant will have a pivotal contribution to create economic opportunities for internally displaced people and capacity on disaster management for regional and woreda administrations.

He added that Ethiopia will develop early warning systems through the establishment of Disaster Risk Recovery Contingency Fund at federal and regional levels in the coming four years.

According to Admasu, the early warning systems will be implemented in Somali, Afar, Oromia, Amhara and Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples regional states.

Cooperation Head for EU Delegation to Ethiopia, Erik Habers said the signing is critical and timely given the increasing frequency and intensity of drought as well as other shocks like conflicts which have led into significant internal displacement in Ethiopia.

The project, which will be implemented by NGOs, National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Agency including Somali, SNNPR, Oromia and Amhara regions, is going to be realized in 54 months from 2019-2023.