Tigray humanitarian crisis spinning out of control – UN

The humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region is spinning out of control with 5.2 million people needing food aid, 400,000 of them in famine-like conditions, UN humanitarians has said.

After 11 months of conflict and three months of a de facto blockade, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said, the situation is likely to get worse.

He said desert locusts, a potential poor harvest, humanitarian aid not getting through, and the conflict spreading into the neighboring Amhara and Afar regions were emerging concerns.

“Griffiths said he would continue to engage with Ethiopian government authorities to advocate for the easing of these blockade-like conditions and to allow for sustained and regular access to aid convoys”.

Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said
the delivery of aid into Tigray, including fuel, remains a challenge.

“In the past week, 79 trucks carrying aid arrived in Tigray via the Semera-Abala-Mekelle corridor,” he said adding that “currently, trucks carrying fuel and medical supplies cannot enter Tigray and trucks are waiting in Semera, Afar, to travel to Mekelle in Tigray.

Source: GNA