UK announces additional £29m of humanitarian aid for northern Ethiopia on World Food Day

Amid the deteriorating crisis, the United Kingdom has announced an additional £29m of humanitarian aid for northern Ethiopia on October 16. The significant announcement from the UK government came on the day when the whole world observed the "World Food Day 2021". According to the official statement released by the UK government, the Minister for Africa Vicky Ford has announced an additional £29m of humanitarian aid to people affected by the catastrophic conflict in northern Ethiopia. Besides announcing aid to the war-torn country, the Minister for Africa called all parties in Ethiopia to urgently agree to a ceasefire in order to allow humanitarian aid to pass through the Tigray region.  

The people of Tigray need 500 trucks of critical assistance per week, but less than 10 per cent of this has been met since June, noted the minister. It is worth noting that the country is facing the worst ever famine. According to the UN reports, at least 3,50,000 people in Tigray have been facing famine whereas the US Agency for International Development estimated the number could rose to 9,00,000. Meanwhile, Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford, said, "The Ethiopian people are facing a humanitarian catastrophe and are in urgent need of support. This pledge will provide vital food, water and healthcare to the hundreds of thousands of people facing famine in northern Ethiopia."

"This is a man-made crisis. I urge all parties to urgently agree to a ceasefire to allow humanitarian aid to reach starving people," added Ford.

Conflict in northern Ethiopia has spread beyond the borders of Tigray: Dyer

According to the statement, the addition in funding came after UK's Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, Nick Dyer, recently concluded his third visit to Ethiopia. After his visit to the conflict triggered nation, he pressed for improved humanitarian access to the areas affected by conflict. "On my third visit to Ethiopia since the start of the Tigray conflict, I saw a further deterioration of the crisis and the conditions for humanitarian operations. We are pleased to provide more funding but humanitarian agencies need access into all areas where people are in need now, so that lives can be saved and catastrophic famine avoided," Nick Dyer said on Friday.

"The conflict in northern Ethiopia has spread beyond the borders of Tigray now, so we are expanding the UK funding to reach those in urgent need in Afar and Amhara." He said that the funding will be delivered by UN agencies and NGOs, including the WFP, UNICEF, and the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund.

(Image: AP)