The United States is set to provide USD 170 million for humanitarian assistance and support for the internally displaced population in Ethiopia.
“This assistance will meet the immediate needs of those displaced, keeping them healthy so that they can return home safely and voluntarily resume productive lives, and participate in the process of addressing the root causes of the conflict,” said USAID Mission Director to Ethiopia, Leslie Reed.
Basically, the fund will be used to help close to one million internally displaced people in West Guji and Gedo Zones of the Oromia and Southern Regional States. These displacement which began since April 2018, came at a time where there are already 1.6 million IDPs across the country.
“With this new funding, the US is providing emergency food and nutrition assistance, as well as life-saving medical care, safe drinking water, and improved sanitation and hygiene programs to treat and stop the spread of preventable diseases for millions of Ethiopians, as well as refugees seeking shelter in Ethiopia,” reads the statement issued by USAID.
This additional funding brings the total U.S. humanitarian contribution in Ethiopia to more than USD 802 million since October 2016.
For months a number of aid agencies have been calling the international community and the Ethiopian government to give due attention to those affected by a conflict induced internal displacement. It is to be recalled that the displacement was first caused by an inter-communal violence along Gedo and West Guji Zones.
More than 200 people have so far lost their lives and thousands lost their homes as well as their assets.
Following the humanitarian crisis, the Ethiopian government along with aid agencies was seeking for assistance amounting to USD 117 million dollars. Now, both got the attention of different international aid agencies and foreign countries.
In this regard, UAE has also extended its hand to help those who are suffering. In addition, CARE Ethiopia is said to have given USD five million in assistance. CARE’s assistance will be used to help 150,000 people who are in urgent need of support.
