Gov’t Working To Ensure Efficient Delivery Of Humanitarian Services In Tigray: Deputy PM And FM (February 4, 2021)

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Ethiopia, Demeke Mekonnen said the Government of Ethiopia has been working to ensure the delivery of humanitarian services and improve the situation in Tigray.

He said this to the AU Foreign Ministers at the 38th AU Executive council meeting, while delivering briefings on relevant current issues, especially the situation in Tigray.

He also explained the reconstruction, rehabilitation, capacity enhancement, and peacebuilding efforts of the interim administration of Tigray and its due emphasis to the delivery of humanitarian support.

According to the Minster, food and non-food items were delivered for more than 1.8 million beneficiaries aimed at addressing more than 2.5 million beneficiaries across the region as lack of banking service, market failure, and pending salary payments are forced to cover a greater number of beneficiaries.

He said, for efficient and effective delivery of humanitarian assistance, the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) has been established at Mekelle comprising of relevant line ministries, regional bureaus, UN-Agencies, bi-laterals, and international NGO’s.

Most parts of the region are accessible and a conducive environment has been created to speed up the delivery of food and non-food supplies to the needy people in the region, he added.

The federal government is working on mobilizing resources for the recovery and rehabilitation of damaged and destroyed economic and social infrastructure as well as humanitarian assistance, the Minister said.

According to Demeke, refugees in the region are one of the priority areas of the government to maintain their safety and security and ensure the continuous supply of food and non-food items.

In the refugee camps, where access and issues are related to safety and security, he said, the government has taken immediate action by relocating and maintaining basic humanitarian services.