UNFPA Ethiopia Response to the Northern Ethiopia crisis – Situation report (1-15 October 2021)

Background

After almost one year of conflict, the political dynamics across Northern Ethiopia changed dramatically on June 28 following the unilateral declaration of ceasefire by the Federal Government with the subsequent withdrawal of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the control of most areas of Tigray region by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). In July, the conflict spiraled into the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara prompting mass displacement and a dire humanitarian situation leaving an estimated 7 million people in need across the three regions (5.2 million1 in Tigray and the rest from Amhara and Afar regions). Approximately 3 million people are estimated to be displaced as a result of the conflict across Northern Ethiopia: 2.1 million people in Tigray region, 789,035 in Amhara region (North Gondar, Central Gondar, South Wollo, South Gondar, and Awi zones) and 323,000 in Afar (zones 2 and 4), according to regional authorities.

In Tigray, humanitarian partners have significantly reduced or even suspended response programs due to the lack of fuel, cash and supplies. The delivery of humanitarian cargo into the region remains severely restricted. Active hostilities have been reported along the borders between the Tigray and Amhara and Afar regions prompting displacement, disrupting livelihoods and increasing food insecurity. Humanitarian partners are scaling up the response and strengthening coordination mechanisms on the ground in support of regional authority-led responses while humanitarian access remains restricted in some areas due to conflict.

Source: United Nations Population Fund