Authorities in Ethiopia's war-torn Tigray region warned Friday of a looming famine linked to drought and the ongoing impact of the devastating two-year war in the country's north.
Getachew Reda, president of the interim regional authority in Tigray, said more than 91 percent of the population was “at risk of starvation and death” and called on the Ethiopian government and the international community for help.
In a statement released on
“Since the signing of the Pretoria Agreement, thousands of Tigreans have died due to lack of food,” Getachew said, referring to the November 2022 peace deal that ended the war between Tigrayan rebels and Ethiopian government forces.
The situation in Ethiopia's northern areas cannot be independently verified because the federal government restricts media access to Tigray.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
Getachew said Tigray's interim government had declared a disaster emergency in areas under its control but had limited resources to deal with the crisis.
“The Ethiopian government and the international community have done their part to silence the guns. Now they should do their part to address the impending humanitarian catastrophe,” he said.
Getachew noted the devastating consequences of the conflict, including economic crisis, mass displacement and destruction of health facilities, coupled with seasonal lack of rainfall, followed by destructive rains and locust plagues.
Advertisement – Scroll to continue
He said the temporary suspension of aid by the United States and the UN World Food Program (WFP) earlier this year also played a role in the crisis.
USAID and WFP suspended all food aid to Ethiopia in June, citing a “widespread and coordinated” campaign to redirect donated aid, but deliveries are slowly resuming.
“Although assistance has now resumed on a limited basis, the amount reaching those in need is only a fraction of what is needed to meet current needs,” Getachew said.
txw/rox/msr/eg