Food Distribution to Refugees Resumes

ADDIS ABABA – Food distribution has been restored in refugee camps across Ethiopia, a government agency announced on Wednesday.

Refugees were facing extreme food insecurity after the UN and US paused humanitarian assistance in June, alleging large-scale diversions.

The food distribution has now resumed following an aggressive diplomatic effort, the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS) chief Teyiba Hassen told reporters.

Nearly a million refugees mostly from neighboring countries are currently living in Ethiopia and their number is increasing.

Teyiba reckoned that Ethiopia is shouldering the huge burden by hosting refugees and asylum seekers, adding that it will stay committed to responding to their needs.

The director general reiterated this during the recent Executive Committee Meeting of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Geneva.

She called on the UNHCR and its partners to demonstrate concrete solidarity with refugees and host countries, emphasizing the principle of burden and responsibility sharing.

Tens of thousands of refugees have arrived from Sudan since the conflict in the neighboring nation broke out in April.

The World Food Program (WFP) said it started providing food to the new arrivals and others located in refugee camps across five regions last week.