350,000 in Ethiopia鈥檚 Tigray hit by famine
Print Edition
A HIGH-LEVEL UN-led committee that focuses on rapid responses to humanitarian crises estimates that some 350,000 people in Ethiopia鈥檚 embattled Tigray region are facing famine conditions, a UN official said on Wednesday.
The estimate was presented at a meeting on Monday of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, comprising 18 UN and non-UN organizations that is chaired by UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also attended.
A note from the meeting said millions of other people in Tigray urgently need food to avoid famine, said the official, who has not authorized to speak publicly.
Last Friday, Lowcock warned that famine is imminent in Tigray and in the country鈥檚 north, saying there is a risk that hundreds of thousands of people or more will die.
No one knows how many thousands of civilians or combatants have been killed since months of political tensions between Ethiopian President Abiy Ahmed鈥檚 government and the Tigray leaders who once dominated it exploded into war last November. Eritrea, a longtime Tigray enemy, teamed up with neighboring Ethiopia in the conflict.
Aid blocked
The UN has criticized the lack of access to all areas of Tigray for humanitarian workers seeking to deliver aid.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday UN staff on the ground report the continuing blocked movements of aid, and interrogation, assault and detention of humanitarian workers at military checkpoints. There has also been looting and confiscation of 鈥渉umanitarian assets and supplies鈥 by parties to the conflict, he said.
Some areas of Tigray remain inaccessible, Dujarric said, and in accessible areas 鈥渢he situation is dire, including dysfunctional water systems and limited or no health facilities.鈥
鈥淟evels of food insecurity and malnutrition are at alarming levels,鈥 Dujarric said.
鈥淧reliminary field reports from Axum and Adwa in the central zone indicate visible signs of starvation among internally displaced people. In a community in the northwestern zone of Tigray, aid workers noted a severe need for food, after the burning or looting of harvests.鈥
Lowcock has said the war destroyed the economy along with businesses, crops and farms.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
