NRC update on suspension of operations in Ethiopia

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is continuing dialogue with the authorities while operations remain suspended.

Following the temporary suspension of NRC’s activities by authorities in Ethiopia on 30 July, NRC’s Secretary General Jan Egeland visited Addis Ababa in August for meetings with the Federal Government.

“Our Secretary General held constructive discussions with senior government officials around the suspension and related issues, such as staff salaries, paying suppliers, work permits and resuming critical lifesaving programming,” said Ole Solvang, partnerships and policy director at NRC. “We stressed our commitment to an independent, neutral response to humanitarian needs, as well as our desire to continue working in Ethiopia in a constructive relationship with the authorities.”

The temporary suspension is still in place, however, with challenging consequences for the people NRC tries to help, our staff, suppliers and donors.

“We will continue dialogue with the authorities in the hope that they will lift the suspension so that we can resume our critical humanitarian work as soon as possible,” said Solvang. “We are extremely worried about the very serious negative consequences prolonged suspension would have on our staff, our relationship with our partners, and not least, the people in dire need whom we are trying to help.”

NRC has provided education, clean water, sanitation facilities, shelter, food and support for people to obtain legal identity documents in Ethiopia since 2011. In 2020, NRC assisted around 585,000 people in the Tigray, Oromia, SNNP, Benishangual Gumuz, Gambella and Somali regions, as well as in Addis Ababa city.

Source: Norwegian Refugee Council