The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Edited News | UNHCR
Bi-Weekly Press Briefing: Assistance To Refugees In Northern Ethiopia - UNHCR
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has been able to step up humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected populations in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray, Afar and Amhara regions since the signing of the peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) about 6 weeks ago.
Speaking to journalists at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva, the UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, Mamadou Dian Balde, said that “the peace agreement was signed on the 2nd of November. And since then, UNHCR and partners have been able to increase the level of assistance as well as protection and solutions within Tigray, but also in the northern part of Ethiopia, meaning Amhara as well as Afar.”
In the Peace agreement signed by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on 2nd November, both parties agreed to a “permanent cessation of hostilities” to end the Tigray war. This agreement was a critical first step towards ending the devastating two-year old conflict in which the lives and livelihoods of so many Ethiopians have been lost.
As of this week, UNHCR has been able to send 61 trucks into Tigray, carrying 2,400 metric tons of much-needed relief including medicine, shelter materials, blankets and household items, and a tanker carrying 20,000 litres of fuel to help us bring aid to those most in need.
“Not only were we able to have 16,000 refugees relocated to Alemwach, but since the signing of the agreement with the Government’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), we've been able to support the relocation of 7,000 of them, so which really help thousands of refugees who have been stranded to really start rebuilding their own lives,” noted the UNHCR representative.
The Refugee Agency has now resumed operations in secondary field locations like in Maichew, Adigrat, and Abi Adi. Throughout the conflict, UNHCR teams were operating in Tigray from Mekelle and Shire to assist the vulnerable populations as conditions for Eritrean refugees in Tigray were dire.
“We were able to provide them with some limited support”, said Mr. Balde. “Whenever we had opportunities for flying in medical supplies, we did it, but there were not enough. They were not commensurate to the needs. And yes, people have suffered, and they have suffered, and they have suffered.”
UNHCR is now also working closely with local authorities in northern Ethiopia to support Ethiopians displaced by the conflict.
“UNHCR in Ethiopia is not only working on refugees, we also work on Ethiopians displaced by the conflict”, noted the UNHCR Representative. “We have been able to support over 2 million internally displaced persons through our protection services, shelter services as well as our housing, land and property and additional services.”
UNHCR has been providing counselling and support to the most vulnerable including separated children and survivors of gender-based violence. Over 50,000 internally displaced have been assisted to return to their homes within Tigray, Afar and Amhara.
-ends-
STORY: Assistance to Refugees in Northern Ethiopia - UNHCR
TRT: 1 min 57s
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 09 December 2022 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Medium shot, UN Geneva flag alley.
- Medium shot, conference room, journalists taking notes, screen in background.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, Mamadou Dian Balde: “The peace agreement was signed on the 2nd of November. And since then, UNHCR and partners have been able to increase the level of assistance as well as protection and solutions within Tigray, but also in the northern part of Ethiopia, meaning Amhara as well as Afar.”
- Medium shot, journalists taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, Mamadou Dian Balde: “Not only were we able to have 16,000 refugees relocated to Alemwach, but since the signing of the agreement with the Government’s Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), we've been able to support the relocation of 7,000 of them, so which really help thousands of refugees who have been stranded to really start rebuilding their own lives.”
- Close-up shot, staff monitoring conference.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, Mamadou Dian Balde: “So we were able to provide them with some limited support. Whenever we had opportunities for flying in medical supplies, we did it, but there were not enough. They were not commensurate to the needs. And yes, people have suffered, and they have suffered, and they have suffered.”
- Medium shot, journalists taking notes.
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), UNHCR Representative in Ethiopia, Mamadou Dian Balde: “UNHCR in Ethiopia is not only working on refugees, we also work on Ethiopians displaced by the conflict. We have been able to support over 2 million internally displaced persons through our protection services, shelter services as well as our housing, land and property and additional services.”
- Medium shot, journalists taking notes, podium in the background.
- Medium shot, conference room, journalists taking notes.
- Close-up shot, journalists.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | UNIFIL , UNFPA , IOM , UNHCR
As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | HRC
Russia’s deportations of Ukrainian children amount to crimes against humanity: independent UN rights probe
Scores of Ukrainian children are still missing after being deported far and wide across Russia and occupied territories while their families continue to search for them, human rights investigators said on Thursday.
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | OCHA
The UN’s emergency relief chief on Wednesday condemned the “$1 billion-a-day” cost of the war roiling the Middle East, at a time of severe cuts to the global body’s humanitarian work in emergencies and “soaring” needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , WHO , UNHCR , UNICEF , WFP
Middle East war: UN warns of ‘toxic rain’ danger from oil depot strikes as mass displacement, aid supply shocks spread
Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to humanitarian supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Friday made the following remarks on Israel’s military ground incursions and displacement orders in Lebanon.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , IOM , WHO
The escalating war in the Middle East has heightened growing concerns about further civilian suffering and displacement in the region and far beyond, UN agencies said on Friday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk made the following remarks at a press stake out on the current situation in the Middle East.
“The crisis sparked in the Middle East one week ago following US and Israeli attacks on Iran, and Iran’s counterattacks, has been spreading like wildfire. It is causing significant damage in Iran, Israel and at least a dozen other countries, mostly in the Gulf, with risks of major economic and environmental ramifications across the world,” he said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani on Tuesday made the following remarks on the current situation in the Middle-East.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNHCR , WFP
Schoolgirls killed, thousands displaced, aid routes compromised: UN humanitarians deplore effects of new Middle East war
On the fourth day of Israeli and United States airstrikes against Iran and amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East, the UN urgently called for protection of civilians and warned of growing displacement and humanitarian needs.
1
1
1
Edited News | IOM
Well over 1.3 million people have fled Sudan’s ongoing war for South Sudan, the UN migration agency, IOM, reported on Friday, amid rising violence and a massive humanitarian emergency linked to the country’s political crisis.
2
1
2
Statements , Conferences , Edited News | HRC , OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday presented to the 61st Human Rights Council his global update on the human rights situation.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday presented to the UN Human Rights Council a new report on the human rights situation in occupied Palestinian territory.