Addis Ababa Provides 485mln birr Support to Displaced People in Afar, Amhara
ADDIS ABABA – The Addis Ababa City Administration on Wednesday provided a total of 585 million birr donation in support of displaced people in Afar and Amhara regional states.
Recent incursions by TPLF, a group designated as a terrorist by the parliament, into the two regions have left at least half a million people displaced, says a recent report by the federal government.
Various government institutions and the public are mobilizing resources in support of the displaced civilians as international humanitarian agencies shy away from responding to the crisis in the two regions.
During her visits to the two regions on Wednesday, Deputy Mayor Adanech Abiebie handed over the financial and material assistance raised from Addis Ababa to administrators of the two regions.
About 385 million Birr and 200 million Birr support were given to Amhara and Afar regional states, respectively, says the press office of the city administration.
The support was raised from government employees, members of the business community and various sections of the society in the city, according to the deputy mayor.
She further pledged to continue the necessary support to rehabilitate the civilians in the two regions in meetings she held with governors of the two regions in Semera and Bahir Dar cities.
Governors of the two regions expressed their gratitude to the Addis Ababa City Administration and residents of the city for the aid.
‘Extremely Low support’
On the same day, Peace Minister Muferiat kamil held a meeting with representatives of the UN and other international humanitarian agencies involved in the coordination and delivery of aid in northern Ethiopia.
The support being provided by the UN and other humanitarian organizations in Amhara and Afar regions is currently extremely low and needs to be boosted, she told the participants.
She said it is imperative for the organizations to expand support to the two regions in accordance with the spirit of their establishment and the duties they are entrusted with.
Muferiat, who is also a Chairperson of Emergency Coordinating Committee, urged the aid agencies to give the two regions similar attention as Tigray and support affected people in Amhara and Afar regions.
She also said several trucks that entered into Tigray carrying aid have not returned within the outlined time-frame.
The responsible humanitarian organizations should have the trucks return to the center immediately and debrief on the situation, the Minister added.
