Following the government and humanitarian partner’s mid-year assessments to reflect the changes in a humanitarian context in Ethiopia, and taking into consideration two years of drought, conflict and record high IDP’s; the 2018 Humanitarian and Disaster Resilience Plan (HDRP) has been revised to reflect a funding gap of USD 416.4 million, it was learnt.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA) in its latest statement released on Monday, October 8, 2018 said that at least 7.95 million people are currently targeted for relief food/cash assistance, while the rest 9.45 million need non-food support, at a cost of USD 1.494 billion.
Accordingly, OCHA said that the revised HDRP currently faces a gap of USD 416.4 million.
Despite the general good performance of this year’s belg rains [fall rains], the number of people targeted for relief food and cash support remains largely unchanged due to a significant spikes in internal displacement since April 2018, the statement added.
The displaced populations, who often fled with nothing more than their personal belongings return to burned down houses, and lost their livelihoods requiring continued holistic support to sustain their lives and rebuild their livelihood.
The statement also highlighted: “for Ethiopia to continue to respond to the needs of the people affected by the years of drought and around the million people displaced due to conflicts along the Oromia and Somali border in September 2017 it needs resources.”
“Beginning in April 2018, the country faced an additional surge of conflict-induced displacement along the SNNP-Oromia regional border,” the statement noted.
“International partners acknowledge and appreciate the Government of Ethiopia’s lead in addressing the IDP crisis in the country, especially in the first half of 2018,” the statement quoted Gillian Mellsop, the acting Humanitarian Coordinator for Ethiopia.
“We will continue to scale up the response for the remainder of the year to provide assistance to the affected people, wherever the need may be; but we urgently require additional funding,” said Mellsop.
Underlying the fact that Ethiopia is at a crossroad; UNOCHA noted that the Ethiopian government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), is implementing key reforms to broaden the political, civic and economic space.
“However, the impacts of inter-communal tensions present a challenge for the new leadership. Localized inter-communal violence continues to cause large scale displacement, civilian casualties, as well as damage of properties and infrastructure. Although the situation requires a long-term political solution, in the interim, urgent lifesaving assistance should be maintained, while facilitating a sustainable return of IDPs where conditions allow,” UN-OCHA said in its statement.
