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Ethiopia conflict: How is aid flowing to Tigray? Ethiopia conflict: How is aid flowing to Tigray?
(21 days later)
The Ethiopian government and health officials in Tigray say food, basic medicines and equipment are now reaching many in urgent need following the peace deal signed last month. The UN has voiced concern about high levels of child malnutrition in Ethiopia's Tigray region, despite more aid coming in after last November's peace deal between the government and Tigrayan forces.
However, the situation remains very serious across the region. "Critical pharmaceutical supplies are lacking", says Kindeya Gebrehiwot of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). "Malaria has become epidemic in some districts". A third of children assessed late last month were acutely malnourished, and about four per cent of children screened were severely malnourished, says the UN.
Aid convoys getting through What aid is getting into Tigray?
For months, the only viable land route into Tigray had been from the Afar region to the east. But even that had been highly problematic with very limited supplies getting through. Although the flow of humanitarian aid is gradually being scaled-up, it is "still inadequate to meet vast needs," according to the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Now convoys are able to travel this route more freely, along with two others from the south and further to the west. And some areas remain inaccessible, mostly along the border with Eritrea and those areas of Tigray adjoining the Amhara and Afar regions of Ethiopia. It has also been a challenge reaching people living far away from main roads.
The UN says by 8 December, 20 organisations had delivered more than 50,000 tonnes of food items and close to five tonnes of non-food items to Tigray, including medical supplies. The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus who is himself from Tigray, says there has been progress in delivering food aid and medicine to Tigray. "There is progress in both...[but] still there are a lot of areas that are not yet covered," he says.
The Ethiopian government has also distributed food aid to some areas in Tigray following what it describes as the improved security situation. The boy who weighs half of what he should
The Ethiopian government and Tigray rebels signed a ceasefire deal in early November For many months, the only viable land route into Tigray had been from the Afar region to the east. But even that was highly problematic with very limited supplies getting through.
Humanitarian flights to the regional capital, Mekelle, and the city of Shire, have been carrying medical supplies and aid workers. Now convoys are able to travel this route more freely, and also use two others from the south and further to the west.
The UN says seven tonnes of medical supplies were flown from the capital Addis Ababa to Shire in November. The UN says by late December, 20 organisations had delivered more than 100,000 tonnes of food and more than ten tonnes of non-food items to Tigray, including medical supplies.
The first movement of aid to arrive in Mekelle after the peace deal was a convoy of two trucks carrying medical aid on 15 November. The Ethiopian government also distributed food aid to some areas in Tigray following what it described as the improved security situation.
Saving lives before anything else!Our first convoy of aid supplies has arrived in Mekelle. Two trucks delivered medicines, emergency and first aid kits to support health facilities in #Tigray to treat patients with conditions that need urgent care. More aid in the days ahead. pic.twitter.com/67zWpoX9Ed The Ethiopian government and Tigray rebels signed a ceasefire deal in November 2022
Prior to that, the last movement of humanitarian cargo delivered by the UN into Tigray took place on 22 August along the Semera route. Humanitarian flights to the regional capital, Mekelle, and the city of Shire, have been carrying medical supplies and aid workers. The UN says 17 tonnes of medical supplies have been flown from the capital, Addis Ababa, to Shire and Mekelle since the signing of the deal.
There was also an airlift of aid on 23 August from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to Mekelle. Did aid get into Tigray during the conflict?
More than five million people were facing severe hunger in Tigray at that time, according to the World Food Programme. The flow of aid into the Tigray region became problematic after fighting broke out in November 2020.
Problematic aid flows during the conflict
The flow of aid into the Tigray region had been problematic since fighting broke out in November 2020.
There were periods when international aid agencies had access - between July and December 2021 and between April and August 2022.There were periods when international aid agencies had access - between July and December 2021 and between April and August 2022.
But there have been months when there's been only limited or no access for humanitarian aid and staff into the region as the flow is affected by fighting along aid delivery routes, multiple roadblocks and checks and damage to infrastructure. But there have been months when there's been very limited or no access for humanitarian aid and staff into the region as the flow was affected by fighting along delivery routes, multiple roadblocks and vehicle checks and damage to key infrastructure.
Humanitarian convoys had been facing severe problems accessing the Tigray regionHumanitarian convoys had been facing severe problems accessing the Tigray region
Delays in issuing approvals for aid convoys to travel by road through areas held by federal and regional government forces had been a key issue. Delays in issuing approval for aid convoys to travel by road through areas held by federal and regional government forces was also an issue.
The government had also put in place strict controls for humanitarian aid flights - including a requirement for all flights to land first in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for inspection. The government also put in place strict controls for humanitarian aid flights - including a requirement for all flights to land first in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, for inspection.
Reconnection to the power grid The first movement of aid to Mekelle after the peace deal was a convoy of two trucks carrying medical aid on 15 November.
In addition to humanitarian aid, large parts of the Tigray region have been without electricity, telephones, internet and banking services. Saving lives before anything else!Our first convoy of aid supplies has arrived in Mekelle. Two trucks delivered medicines, emergency and first aid kits to support health facilities in #Tigray to treat patients with conditions that need urgent care. More aid in the days ahead. pic.twitter.com/67zWpoX9Ed
The government has now reconnected Mekelle to the national electricity grid, raising hopes that electricity supplies will soon be restored more widely in Tigray. Prior to that, the last movement of a UN humanitarian cargo into Tigray was on 22 August along the Semera route. There was also an airlift of aid on 23 August from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, to Mekelle.
Mobile telephone connectivity has also been restored in some areas, including in Shire, but large parts of the Tigray region remain without power and phone communications. More than five million people were facing severe hunger in Tigray at that time, according to the World Food Programme. The UN says more than half of these people have benefited from aid deliveries in recent weeks.
Resumption of basic services
In addition to humanitarian aid, large parts of the Tigray region have been without electricity, telephones, internet and banking services for close to two years.
The government recently reconnected the regional capital, Mekelle, to the national electricity grid, raising hopes that electricity supplies will soon be restored more widely in Tigray.
Mobile telephone connectivity has also been restored in some areas, including Mekelle and Shire, but some areas remain without power and phone communications.
The government says it is working on repairing and restoring infrastructure. Ethiopian Airlines resumed commercial passenger flights to Mekelle on 28 December and later to Shire on 2 January.
Banking services have also restarted in some parts of the Tigray region.
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