The United Nations has issued an urgent appeal for USD 17.8 million to address critical humanitarian needs in Ethiopia, highlighting the escalating crisis fuelled by natural disasters, conflict, and public health emergencies. The funding is intended to support life-saving interventions for displaced populations and communities facing severe food insecurity and malnutrition in the country.
A recent UN report states the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia remains dire, compounded by the ongoing cholera outbreak, endemic malaria, and acute food shortages across multiple regions. The report stated that the recent floods and landslides have further intensified the crisis.
The UN says the complex access challenges in conflict-affected regions, including Amhara and Oromia, have significantly hindered aid delivery.
Its appeal is part of a broader initiative under the Ethiopia Humanitarian Country Team (EHCT) to address critical funding gaps. According to the 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), USD 3.24 billion is required to meet humanitarian needs this year, with USD 811.9 million still unfunded as of mid-October.
Meanwhile, the health sector is grappling with widespread disease outbreaks. The cholera outbreak, ongoing since August 2022, continues to spread across most regions, while malaria cases surged to 4.5 million during the first eight months of 2024.
The UN and partners are also working to enhance cholera preparedness and response by prepositioning supplies and strengthening community-level prevention strategies, according to the report. Despite these efforts, funding shortfalls have constrained the response.
Emergency shelter and non-food item kits, essential for displaced populations, are critically understocked, leaving 1.1 million vulnerable people without adequate shelter, reads the report. It stated that reduced rations for food assistance in severely food-insecure areas reflect the urgent need.
The UN also appealed for immediate international donors to support Ethiopia’s humanitarian situation and called for humanitarian actors on the ground to take note of the timely contributions as critical in averting a potential crisis facing the country.
