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‘Nearly 400 Ethiopians have died of starvation’

The U.N. and the U.S. lifted the pause in December after introducing reforms to curb theft, but Tigray authorities say food is not reaching those who need it…reports Asian Lite News

Nearly 400 people have died of starvation in Ethiopia’s Tigray and Amhara regions in recent months, the national ombudsman said Tuesday, a rare admission of hunger-related deaths by a federal body.

Local officials have previously reported starvation deaths in their districts, but Ethiopia’s federal government has insisted these reports are “completely wrong”.

Ethiopia’s ombudsman office sent experts to the regions, which are gripped by drought and still reeling from a devastating civil war that officially ended 14 months ago. They concluded that 351 people have died of hunger in Tigray in the past six months, with 44 more deaths in Amhara.

Only a small fraction of needy people in Tigray are receiving food aid, according to an aid memo seen by The Associated Press, more than one month after aid agencies resumed deliveries of grain following a lengthy pause over theft.

Just 14% of 3.2 million people targeted for food aid by humanitarian agencies in Tigray this month had received it by Jan. 21, according to the memo by the Tigray Food Cluster, a group of aid agencies co-chaired by the U.N.’s World Food Program and Ethiopian officials.

The memo urges humanitarian groups to “immediately scale up” their operations, warning that “failure to take swift action now will result in severe food insecurity and malnutrition during the lean season, with possible loss of the most vulnerable children and women in the region.”

The U.N. and the U.S. paused food aid to Tigray in mid-March last year after discovering a “large-scale” scheme to steal humanitarian grain. The suspension was rolled out to the rest of Ethiopia in June. U.S. officials believe the theft may be the biggest diversion of grain ever. Donors have blamed Ethiopian government officials and the military for the fraud.

The U.N. and the U.S. lifted the pause in December after introducing reforms to curb theft, but Tigray authorities say food is not reaching those who need it.

Two aid workers said that the new system — which includes fitting GPS trackers to food trucks and putting QR codes on ration cards — has been hampered by technical issues. Aid agencies are also struggling with a lack of funds.

A third aid worker said the food aid pause and the slow resumption meant some people in Tigray have not received food aid for over a year. “They went through multiple rounds of registration and verification, but no actual distributions yet,” the aid worker said.

The aid workers said on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. Around 20.1 million people across Ethiopia need humanitarian food due to drought, conflict and a tanking economy. The aid pause pushed up hunger levels even further.

The U.S.-funded Famine Early Warning System has warned that crisis levels of hunger or worse “are expected in northern, southern and southeastern Ethiopia throughout at least early 2024.” A former head of the WFP has described these levels of hunger as “marching towards starvation.”

In Amhara, which shares a border with Tigray, a rebellion that erupted in August is impeding humanitarians’ movements and making distributions difficult, while several regions of Ethiopia have been devastated by a multi-year drought.

Malnutrition rates among children in parts of Ethiopia’s Afar, Amhara and Oromia regions range between 15.9% and 47%, according to a presentation by the Ethiopia Nutrition Cluster. Among displaced children in Tigray, the rate is 26.5%. The Ethiopia Nutrition Cluster is co-chaired by the U.N. Children’s Fund and the federal government.

Tigray, home to 5.5 million people, was the center of a devastating two-year civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and spilled into the neighboring regions. A U.N. panel accused Ethiopia’s government of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting food aid to Tigray during the conflict, which ended in November 2022 with a peace deal.

Persistent insecurity meant only 49% of Tigray’s farmland was planted during the main planting season last year, according to an assessment by U.N. agencies, NGOs and the regional authorities.

Crop production in these areas was only 37% of the expected total because of drought. In some areas the proportion was as low as 2%.

The poor harvest prompted Tigray’s authorities to warn of an “unfolding famine” that could match the disaster of 1984-5, which killed hundreds of thousands of people across northern Ethiopia, unless the aid response is immediately scaled up.

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Ethiopia’s deputy PM replaced as VP of ruling party

Demeke’s replacement within the party “should mean his departure as deputy prime minister as well,” a source close to the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said…reports Asian Lite News

Ethiopia’s long-serving Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonnen was dropped on Friday as vice president of the country’s ruling party, state media reported, raising doubts about his future role in the government.

State-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate said that Demeke, who is also a foreign minister and hails from the Amhara ethnic group, was replaced in the Prosperity Party by Ethiopia’s intelligence chief.

The party had “unanimously elected” Temesgen Tiruneh, who heads the National Intelligence and Security Service, in a reshuffle that followed its “leadership succession principle and operating system,” Fana added.

The move was also reported by Ethiopia’s official press agency ENA.

Demeke’s replacement within the party “should mean his departure as deputy prime minister as well,” a source close to the government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said.

“It is our understanding” that Demeke would also exit the deputy prime minister post he has held for 11 years, one foreign diplomat in Addis Ababa said.

The constitution has no provision linking the two positions, but the tradition runs deep.

Demeke became deputy prime minister in 2012, shortly after being elected vice president of the EPRDF, the coalition which ruled for nearly three decades until Abiy rose to power in 2018.

Demeke succeeded Hailemariam Desalegn, who held both positions until he was elected president of the EPRDF and prime minister of Ethiopia upon the death of Meles Zenawi.

Once in office, Abiy merged most of the parties of the EPRDF into the Prosperity Party. Demeke was elected vice president and retained his position as deputy prime minister.

He became foreign minister in November 2020 at the outset of the government’s declaration of war against the northern region of Tigray, whose rebellious leaders rejected Abiy and his new party.

The war lasted two years until a peace accord was signed, but the deal sparked violent hostilities between Addis Ababa and their erstwhile allies in the Amhara region, which opposed the pact with Tigray.

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UN Reports Severe Flooding in Ethiopia Affecting 1.5 Million People

The humanitarians said many people are still grappling with five consecutive seasons of severe droughts in the Horn of Africa, Xinhua news agency reported…reports Asian Lite News

Flooding in the last month has impacted 1.5 million people in Ethiopia, displacing more than 600,000 of them from their homes, UN humanitarians said.

The UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday that the Somali region accounts for 80 per cent of those most affected, including in the South East, Gambela, Oromia, Afar and Sidama regions.

“The floods have caused extensive damage to crops, livestock and vital infrastructure,” OCHA added.

“Houses, shops, schools and agricultural lands are submerged. There is also a rise in health risks with increased cases of cholera, malaria and dengue fever.”

The humanitarians said many people are still grappling with five consecutive seasons of severe droughts in the Horn of Africa, Xinhua news agency reported.

OCHA said UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov, Ethiopian officials and United Nations and non-governmental organisation representatives visited flood-affected areas to assess the situation and explore how to scale up relief efforts.

“The United Nations and our partners are supporting the government response and providing food, shelter, water and sanitation, as well as logistics support,” the office said.

“In addition to increased logistical capacity, we also need increased funding beyond the immediate humanitarian response to help communities adapt to climate change.”

OCHA said this year’s Humanitarian Response Plan for Ethiopia, calling for nearly $4 billion, is only one-third funded, at $1.3 billion.

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UAE, Ethiopia trade exceeds $6bn

Al Rashidi emphasised that Ethiopia is a key investment partner for the UAE in East Africa, as it has a large and emerging consumer market of more than 100 million people, and enjoys diverse resources and economic potential in several sectors such as health, clean energy, technology, communications and others…reports Asian Lite News

Mohammed Salem Al Rashidi, UAE Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, affirmed that the historical relations between the UAE and Ethiopia have witnessed remarkable progress over the past few years.

This reflects the distinguished friendship between the leaderships of the two countries, and the exchange of visits and meetings between President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Dr. Abi Ahmed, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and the expansion of cooperation in various fields and at various levels, which have enhanced relations and progress between the two nations.

Al Rashidi said in a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), “The UAE is one of the key trading partners of Ethiopia, and trade exchange has witnessed steady growth in the past few years, as the Ethiopian Ministry of Trade estimates indicate that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries amounted to US$6 billion,” stressing that the number of UAE investment projects in Ethiopia is estimated at more than 113.

He added, “The UAE and Ethiopia are cooperating in the field of renewable energy, which is an area of common interest for the two countries, especially since the UAE is a major international leader in the field of clean energy. The Ethiopian government seeks to implement its strategy to develop its renewable energy sector and the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar, signed a joint development agreement with the Ethiopian government in January 2023 in Abu Dhabi to develop two solar power plants with a combined generating capacity of 500 megawatts. Masdar previously signed a similar agreement with the Ethiopian government in March 2021 in Addis Ababa to develop solar energy projects in multiple locations in Ethiopia, advancing their efforts to diversify energy sources and achieve economic growth.

Al Rashidi emphasised that Ethiopia is a key investment partner for the UAE in East Africa, as it has a large and emerging consumer market of more than 100 million people, and enjoys diverse resources and economic potential in several sectors such as health, clean energy, technology, communications and others. Ethiopia has also become an attractive destination for foreign investment, as UAE companies have undertaken 113 investment projects in the country, with growing interest on the part of UAE companies to invest in Ethiopia in sectors related to food security, agriculture, livestock and logistics.

He stressed that the UAE is also a strategic partner for Ethiopia in its efforts to achieve growth, as UAE relief and humanitarian organisations contribute to efforts in various sectors through the implementation of many humanitarian and development activities and programmes in Ethiopia.

Development cooperation is one of the main areas of cooperation between the two countries, the most important of which is in the health field and health capacity building, as well as in empowering women and youth through supporting and financing small and medium projects in Ethiopia, in addition to providing scholarships for Ethiopian students to study in UAE universities.

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Jaishankar greets Ethiopians on their National Day

India’s relations with Ethiopia have been traditionally close and friendly….reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday extended wishes to the government and people of Ethiopia on the occasion of their National Day.

Taking to Twitter, he extended his greetings to his Ethiopian counterpart Demeke Mekonnen Hassen and said, “Warm greetings to DPM & FM @DemekeHasen and the Government & people of Ethiopia on their National Day.” “Our historical linkages strengthen our contemporary partnership,” Jaishankar added.

India’s relations with Ethiopia have been traditionally close and friendly.

Ethiopia values India’s grasp of African countries’ challenges, support for their economic progress, and sensitivity to their requirements.

Last year, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar met Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde and discussed bilateral cooperation on education, health, investment, and many more between the two countries.

Food aid in Horn of Africa

The World Food Program (WFP) has appealed for $810 million over the next six months to scale up humanitarian assistance for millions of people in the Horn of Africa who are trapped in a hunger emergency.

WFP Regional Director for Eastern Africa Michael Dunford said on Wednesday that the funds will help the WFP keep life-saving assistance going and invest in long-term resilience in the Horn of Africa.

“Conflict, climate extremes and economic shocks: the Horn of Africa region is facing multiple crises simultaneously. After five consecutive failed rainy seasons, flooding has replaced drought, killing livestock, damaging farmland, and further shattering livelihoods,” he added in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

The WFP warned that the Horn of Africa is lurching from crisis to crisis, adding that the longest drought in recorded history has given way to rains and flash flooding, Xinhua news agency reported.

“And now the outbreak of conflict in Sudan is forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes,” Dunford said.

The WFP said that by the end of 2022, it was distributing food assistance to a record 4.7 million people in Somalia but in April, funding shortfalls forced it to reduce this to three million people.

It warned that without additional funds, further cuts will have to be made in emergency food assistance caseload in Somalia to just 1.8 million by July.

This, it said, means that almost three million people will not receive support despite their continuing needs.

According to the WFP, when the region’s long-awaited rains arrived in March, they should have brought some relief, but instead, flash flooding inundated homes and farmland, washed away livestock, and closed schools and health facilities, forcing more than 2,19,000 people from their homes in southern Somalia, where 22 people were also killed.

The WFP said the drought of the last three years has left more than 23 million people across parts of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia facing severe hunger, with mortality and malnutrition rates remaining unacceptably high and consecutive failed harvests and high transport costs pushing food prices far beyond the reach of millions in the region.

Dunford said the WFP’s rapid expansion of life-saving assistance helped prevent famine in Somalia in 2022.

“But despite the emergency being far from over, funding shortfalls are already forcing us to reduce assistance to those who still desperately need it,” he added.

“Without sustainable funding for both emergency and climate adaptation solutions, the next climate crisis could bring the region back to the brink of famine.”

The UN agency said it will take years for the region to recover, and humanitarian assistance is a lifeline yet limited humanitarian resources are being stretched further still by the conflict in Sudan, which has sent more than 2,50,000 people fleeing into neighbouring countries such as Ethiopia and South Sudan, where food insecurity is already desperately high. (ANI/IANS)

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EAM meets Ethiopian counterpart in Addis Ababa

Jaishankar is expected to meet several other ministers and representatives of the Assembly of Mozambique. He will also interact with the Indian diaspora in Mozambique…reports Asian Lite News

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday made a short transit visit to the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa and held talks with the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of Ehiopia, Demeke Mekonnen Hassen.

Jaishankar took to Twitter to post about the “good meeting” and welcomed Hassen’s perspective on developments in the region. During the meeting, the two leaders shared views on “strong multilateral cooperation” between India and Ethiopia, including in the African Union and the United Nations.

The external affairs minister tweeted, “Welcomed his perspective on developments in the region. Also shared views on our strong multilateral cooperation, including in the AU and United Nations.”

Jaishankar, who concluded his visit to Uganda, is now travelling to Mozambique.

Jaishankar will visit Mozambique from April 13-15 and according to the Ministry of External Affairs this will be the first-ever visit by an External Affairs Minister of India to the Republic of Mozambique

In Mozambique, the EAM will meet with the country’s top leadership and co-chair the fifth Session of the Joint Commission Meeting with Mozambican Foreign Minister Veronica Macamo.

Jaishankar is expected to meet several other ministers and representatives of the Assembly of Mozambique. He will also interact with the Indian diaspora in Mozambique.

EAM Jaishankar recently concluded his Uganda visit. In a podcast of his recently concluded Uganda visit, Jaishankar said that India and Uganda have very converging perspectives which are based on the solidarity of the south-south cooperation between the two nations.

Jaishankar said that out of many conversations during his visit to Uganda, future cooperation between India-Africa, and especially India-Uganda was an important subject.

Terming the African nation of Uganda “noteworthy”, the External Affairs Minister in his podcast said that he has seen new intensity in interactions between New Delhi and Kampala and that even as India look towards the development side, it has a clear purpose with regard to expanding its economic interactions with the African country.

“When I came here to Kampala two days ago, I had the privilege of meeting President Museveni almost immediately. I had interaction with the minister of foreign affairs, and defence, the minister of trade, the minister of water resources and many of their colleagues,” Jaishankar said in the podcast that was posted on the external affairs ministry’s Twitter handle.

Marking a milestone in Indian-Uganda bilateral cooperation, Jaishankar inaugurated the first foreign campus of India’s National Forensic Sciences University in Jinja, Uganda on Wednesday. (ANI)

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Ethiopian govt to send funds to conflict-affected Tigray region

Ahmed met leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) for the first time since the two-year conflict nded late last year with a peace deal…reports Asian Lite News

The Ethiopian government said that it will send about $93 million to Mekele, the capital of Tigray region, as it has begun restoring banking services to the conflict-affected region.

The National Bank of Ethiopia will send 5 billion birrs to Mekele starting from Monday, Xinhua news agency quoted Redwan Hussein, National Security Advisor to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as saying.

Last week, Ahmed met leaders of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) for the first time since the two-year conflict nded late last year with a peace deal.

The second most populous nation in Africa has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which left thousands dead and millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

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Humanitarian aid remains priority in Ethiopia

The UN body also said although humanitarian actors are now moving supplies into the Tigray region, they are not enough to meet growing needs…reports Asian Lite News

The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said humanitarian access and the delivery of urgently needed assistance to conflict-affected parts of northern Ethiopia remain a key priority to ensure people’s recovery from conflict.

The FAO, in its latest humanitarian response overview for Ethiopia, said humanitarian assistance has slowly started to reach people affected by the conflict, following the recently signed peace agreement between the government in Addis Ababa and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

“However, humanitarian access and the delivery of urgently needed assistance, especially in Tigray, remain key priorities to ensure people are able to recover from conflict,” it said.

According to the FAO, across the three conflict-affected regions in northern Ethiopia that are Afar, Amhara and Tigray, the conflict has further contributed to mass displacement, loss of livelihoods, and limited access to markets, food and basic services.

“It has likewise hindered many communities from engaging in agricultural activities, as well as accessing farm inputs (seeds, fertilizer and tools) and vital services (healthcare, education, banking and water),” it said.

The UN body also said although humanitarian actors are now moving supplies into the Tigray region, they are not enough to meet growing needs.

“This distinct lack of resources and limited access to humanitarian support has diminished people’s coping capacities, increasing their vulnerability to additional shocks and stressors,” the FAO said.

According to the FAO, in the just-started 2023, it will prioritise the restoration of people’s agricultural livelihoods, particularly in conflict and drought-affected parts of Ethiopia, so as to ensure people have the resources they need to strengthen their resilience.

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which left thousands dead and millions more in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

In November 2022, the two parties in the Ethiopian conflict formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities and orderly disarmament.

The deal also includes restoring law and order, restoring services and unhindered access to humanitarian supplies.

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Ethiopian govt, rebels announce deal to end conflict

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development congratulated the Ethiopian government and the rebel TPLF on signing the agreement…reports Asian Lite News

The Ethiopian government and the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced an agreement to end the two-year-long conflict in the East African country.

The peace accord was signed on Wednesday in the South African capital Pretoria, days after an African Union (AU)-led negotiation, which was facilitated by Olusegun Obasanjo, the bloc’s high representative for the Horn of Africa and former president of Nigeria, along with the former president of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta, and former deputy president of South Africa Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.

The two parties in the conflict have formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities and orderly disarmament, Obasanjo said.

The deal includes restoring law and order, restoring services and unhindered access to humanitarian supplies, he said.

The direct talks facilitated by the pan-African bloc were part of the ongoing AU-led process to support the related parties in finding a political solution to the conflict in the Tigray region.

Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation, has seen a devastating conflict between government-allied troops and forces loyal to the TPLF since November 2020, which has left millions in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

The agreement is an outcome of African solutions to African problems, Obasanjo said, emphasizing that the moment is not the end of the peace process but the beginning of it.

The peace talks, launched on October 25, paved the way for restoring peace, security and stability in the Tigray region, the AU said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The agreement marks an important step in efforts to silence the guns, and provides a solid foundation for the preservation of Ethiopia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the immediate cessation of hostilities, the resumption of unhindered humanitarian access, the restoration of services as well as healing and reconciliation,” the statement said.

The High-Level Panel for the AU-led Ethiopian Peace Process congratulated and commended the parties for their “commitment, diligence and stellar leadership throughout the process, and for prioritizing the Ethiopian people and the supreme interests of the Ethiopian nation”.

“As the country embarks on this next chapter in its great history, the Panel affirms its commitment and readiness to continue accompanying the process towards a more democratic, just and inclusive Ethiopia in which youth, women and men participate fully and in peace,” the statement added.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development congratulated the Ethiopian government and the rebel TPLF on signing the agreement.

“By signing this agreement to silence the guns and end the armed conflict, the people of Ethiopia now have the opportunity to establish a long-lasting peace,” Workneh Gebeyehu, executive secretary of the trade bloc, said.

Gebeyehu encouraged all parties to the agreement to implement its provisions.

He further commended the Ethiopian government’s commitment to finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict and the critical role of the AU.

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WFP calls for urgent funding to support Ethiopia

According to the WFP, severe shortages of water and pasture are devastating livelihoods, forcing families from their homes…reports Asian Lite News

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has appealed for urgent funding to avoid a major humanitarian crisis in drought-affected areas of Ethiopia.

The WFP, in its latest Ethiopia Drought Response Situation Report, said over 24 million people are projected to be affected by drought in the country in October, of which at least 9.9 million people need emergency food assistance.

“Immediate and scaled-up assistance is critical to avoid a major humanitarian crisis in the drought-affected areas of Ethiopia and help communities become more resilient to extreme climate shocks,” the WFP said.

The WFP said it “urgently needs” $197 million to provide assistance over the next eight months, responding to the needs of $3.5 million of the most drought-affected people.

According to the WFP, severe shortages of water and pasture are devastating livelihoods, forcing families from their homes.

It said the Somali, Oromia, Sidama, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples (SNNP) regions in the south and southeastern parts of Ethiopia have been hit the hardest by the ongoing drought.

While the fifth failed rainy season is projected to take place between October and December this year, at least 3.5 million livestock have already perished and another 25 million are at risk, the WFP said.

“At the same time, 2.2 million children are already acutely malnourished due to the impact of drought — over 760,000 of these children are severely malnourished.”

The WFP is presently supporting families with a combination of emergency relief, nutrition support and resilience-building actions to save lives in the short term and build resilience in the long term.

It, however, noted that due to funding shortfalls, WFP is delivering food assistance to 2.4 million people in the Somali region, even though 3.3 million people are projected to be in need.

The WFP also said it aims to treat 143,000 malnourished children and mothers in the region with specialized nutritious foods.

In the Oromia and SNNP regions, the WFP is delivering specialized nutritious foods to 305,000 mothers and children to address acute malnutrition concerns and providing nutritious school meals to 133,000 children whose families have been affected by the drought, it said.

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