Govt says Humanitarian Aid Delivery in Tigray Expanding

ADDIS ABEBA – Authorities have said they are expanding humanitarian assistance delivery in Tigray region after a rights agency urged them to act quickly on Monday.

Assistance containing food and non-food items and medal supplies have been delivered for more than 1.8mln people since the law enforcement operation in the region concluded on Nov. 28, according to the Ministry of Peace.

The effort is now expanded to address 2.5 million beneficiaries across the region, said the Ministry.

An emergency operation center authorities has already been set up in Mekelle City with a task to address immediate needs while a four-layered emergency coordination system involving Regional, Zonal, Woreda and food distribution points have been put in place to capture additional needs.

“The government of Ethiopia is collaborating with development and humanitarian partners for a rapid delivery of supplies to increase the coverage of assistance to identified beneficiaries,” the Ministry said, based on the agreement signed with the UN on Nov 29, 2020.

They are also jointly conducting an assessment to identify the exact number of people in need of support.   For now, the Ministry said “women, children, elderly and disabled persons are prioritized in the distribution of food, non-food items, and medical supplies”.

Distribution is carried out from Axum, Adigrat, Alamata, Mkelle Zuria, Shire and Mekelle City.  

Federal troops are supporting the coordination of the humanitarian assistance by facilitating secured movement of people and supplies, said the ministry, adding the government “is committed to address all needs arising in the region”.