United States Embassy in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa, March 9, 2021—Today, the United States handed over 250 tons of humanitarian supplies to the office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Ethiopia. The supplies will support U.S. efforts to provide emergency assistance to tens of thousands of Ethiopians affected by the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia’s Amhara and Afar regions. Ambassador Tracey A. Jacobson, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa, handed over the shelter supplies to IOM Acting Chief of Mission Jian Zhao and Nesibu Yasin , Deputy Commissioner of the Ethiopian National Disaster Risk Management Commission (NDRMC) at a warehouse in Addis Ababa.
The 250 tons of supplies, worth more than $1.5 million, include tens of thousands of blankets, hygiene supplies, tarps for temporary accommodation and buckets. This is the second time the United States government has directly provided humanitarian supplies to Ethiopians displaced by the ongoing conflict in the north, through IOM. Today’s donation complements approximately $900 million the United States has provided in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia over the past year.
“Over the past 17 months, the United States has worked tirelessly with our Ethiopian and international partners to provide emergency assistance to Ethiopians in need, wherever they live. This time, USAID’s airlift of relief supplies will provide tens of thousands of families with their most basic needs: a warm place to sleep, a place to wash their hands and food, and shelter from the rain and sun,” said Ambassador Jacobson.
IOM Acting Chief of Mission Jian Zhao added, “Our continued partnership with the United States government has been critical in enabling us to provide much-needed assistance to those affected by the conflict in Ethiopia. Currently, around 4.2 million people have been internally displaced in Ethiopia due to conflict and climatic shocks such as drought and floods, and with such generous support, we will continue our efforts to help the Ethiopian government to ensure that displaced people in Ethiopia have access to safer shelter. , and better sanitation and hygiene.
These relief supplies are part of the larger effort by the United States, IOM, the United Nations, and international humanitarian organizations to help people in all areas of northern Ethiopia’s conflict. Together, the international community has provided more than two billion dollars in humanitarian assistance to Ethiopians in need in Afar, Amhara and Tigray since the start of the conflict. The United States calls on all parties to begin an immediate cessation of hostilities, allow unimpeded humanitarian access, and negotiate a resolution to the conflict.
__
To share information or for a quote, email info@borkena.com
Join the conversation. Follow us on twitter @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Like Borkena on Facebook as well as.
