The UK will pledge humanitarian aid to provide lifesaving support for hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians, including over 435,000 children and mothers suffering from malnutrition and more than 230,000 needing access to emergency healthcare.
The new UK funding will treat the worst cases of acute malnutrition, covering critical gaps in nutrition supplies. It will also increase access to safe water and sanitation while providing emergency cash and social protection to increase food security and resilience in vulnerable communities. The UK’s support will boost Ethiopians’ access to primary healthcare services including access to ambulance care, antenatal care, and vaccinations, and ensure women have a skilled healthcare worker when they give birth.
Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell will announce the £100 million boost to UK funding at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Ethiopia pledging conference in Geneva where he will call on the international community to step up support to address the worsening situation.
Ethiopia faces one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with over 21 million people in need of assistance. Over 15 million people face food insecurity, and over 4 million people are internally displaced. Tigray and Amhara are some of the worst affected regions, with an El Niño-induced drought continuing to affect close to 5 million people.
Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell said: ”The humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia is at a critical level. When I visited earlier this year I saw first-hand how conflict and drought are devastating communities – with women and young children being the hardest hit. The UK is doing it all it can to ensure communities most in need across Ethiopia have access to nutrition, healthcare, water and sanitation. The international community must act now if we are to avoid the humanitarian crisis escalating further”.
As vulnerable countries such as Ethiopia are impacted by more frequent and more severe drought and flooding, the UK is supporting them to adapt and build resilience for the long term. Funding will boost the climate resilience of communities and provide support for those displaced due to drought and extreme weather.
The conference is co-hosted by the UK, the Government of Ethiopia, and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The Deputy Foreign Secretary will call for the international community to continue its humanitarian efforts. He will also outline the importance of ensuring funding goes to those who need it the most and improving data analysis to increase the efficiency of the response.