The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
UNHCR and partners urgently seeks US$156 million to support Ethiopian refugees fleeing the Tigray crisis
As more than 52,000 Ethiopian refugees have fled the Tigray region over the past six weeks into eastern Sudan, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and partners have launched an urgent appeal for funding needs.
“We are releasing together with 30 humanitarian partners an urgent appeal for US$156 million to support refugees fleeing Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis”, said Andrej Mahecic, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) today at a news conference at the United Nations in Geneva. “The requested funds are needed to meet the critical humanitarian needs of Ethiopian refugees fleeing the conflict in Tigray throughout the first half of 2021. This appeal will also strengthen preparedness to receive refugees in other countries in the region in case of further refugee movements”, Mahecic added.
The armed conflict broke out on November 4 between the federal government and regional forces, driving thousands of people to flee their homes - more than half of them women and children. Electricity, phone and internet have been cut off. Food and fuel is scarce. The Ethiopian government announced a six-month state of emergency in Tigray.
Despite the number of new arrivals dropping, to some 500 a day, aid agencies have been dealing with a full-scale humanitarian emergency. UNHCR and humanitarian partners have released now the Regional Refugee Preparedness and Response Plan for the Ethiopia Situation. It covers the period from November 2020 through to June 2021 and is supposed to reach up to 115,000 refugees and 22,000 people from host communities.
The Regional Refugee Preparedness and Response Plan addresses the new refugee emergency triggered as a result of the crisis in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. It aims to support the governments of Sudan, Djibouti and Eritrea to facilitate access to asylum and provide life-saving assistance to those who have been forced to flee.
“The critical activities include registration, documentation, ensuring civilian character of asylum, decongesting of the border site areas, transferring refugees to the new settlements, provision of food, health and education services, support for groups with specific needs particularly for women and girls at risk, unaccompanied minors, the disabled and the elderly”, Mahecic explained.
The Um Rakouba camp in eastern Sudan, located close to the Ethiopian border, has reached its capacity. Mahecic said that “in eastern Sudan, since 14 November to date, more than 20,000 refugees have been relocated from the border areas to Um Rakuba camp, which is located some 75 kms from Gedaref town. As this site approaches its capacity, we and our partners will begin next week preparatory work on a new site further inland, some 136 kms away from Gedaref town”.
So far, according to UNHCR, only 30 % (U$46 million) of the required funds has been received by UNHCR and partners for the ongoing crisis. However, the needs remain huge.
”Currently many refugees remain in overcrowded conditions without proper facilities and there continues to be a shortage of medicines and other supplies. We have seen a huge demand for family tracing and unification, education and for child friendly spaces and nutritional programs”, Mahecic said.
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
- Wide shot, press briefing room
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “We are releasing together with 30 humanitarian partners an urgent appeal for US$156 million to support refugees fleeing Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis. The requested funds are needed to meet the critical humanitarian needs of Ethiopian refugees fleeing the conflict in Tigray throughout the first half of 2021. This appeal will also strengthen preparedness to receive refugees in other countries in the region in case of further refugee movements”.
- Wide shot, journalist in press room
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “The critical activities include registration, documentation, ensuring civilian character of asylum, decongesting of the border site areas, transferring refugees to the new settlements, provision of food, health and education services, support for groups with specific needs particularly for women and girls at risk, unaccompanied minors, the disabled and the elderly”.
- Wide shot, journalist in press room
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “In eastern Sudan, since 14 November to date, more than 20,000 refugees have been relocated from the border areas to Um Rakuba camp, which is located some 75 kms from Gedaref town. As this site approaches its capacity, we and our partners will begin next week preparatory work on a new site further inland, some 136 kms away from Gedaref town”.
- Medium shot, journalist in press briefing room at the UN Palais
- SOUNDBITE (English) - Andrej Mahecic, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): ”Currently many refugees remain in overcrowded conditions without proper facilities and there continues to be a shortage of medicines and other supplies. We have seen a huge demand for family tracing and unification, education and for child friendly spaces and nutritional programs”.
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying, a cloudy day.
- Medium shot, Palais des Nations with flags
Similar Stories
2
6
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences , Images | HRC
At UN, war crimes probe pledges to continue to work for all impacted by Hamas-Israel conflict
As President Trump launched the international Board of Peace plan for Gaza on Thursday, top independent rights experts tasked by the UN Human Rights Council with investigating grave abuses linked to the Hamas-Israel war pledged to continue their work seeking justice and accountability for all.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said Tuesday UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk was outraged by the repeated large-scale attacks by the Russian Federation on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN warns against repeating abuses in South Kordofan that occurred in El Fasher.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Mozambique floods heighten disease, malnutrition risks – UN agencies
Catastrophic flooding in Mozambique is causing massive disruption to lives and livelihoods across the country, increasing the risk of disease and exposing urban areas to crocodiles, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | OCHA
Yemen: Children are dying and it’s going to get worse, aid veteran warns
In Yemen, renewed political instability threatens and economic woes linked to the war to complicate the already difficult task of helping vulnerable people suffering from deepening hunger, illness and displacement, the UN's top aid official there said on Monday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , IFRC
Ukraine: Families in ‘survival mode’ amid Russian strikes and -18°C cold
Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while temperatures plunge to a deadly -18°C (-0.4°F), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
At the bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urges Iranian authorities to end violent repression and calls for accountability.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Gaza: A ceasefire that ‘still buries children’ is not enough, says UNICEF
Airstrikes, drone strikes and hypothermia are among the lethal conditions prevailing in Gaza despite the ceasefire, with more than 100 children killed since early October, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
At the UN bi-weekly press conference in Geneva, UN Human Rights Spokesperson Marta Hurtado commented on the widespread repression and intimidation against political opposition ahead of the general elections in Uganda.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Aid agencies marked 1,000 days of war in Sudan on Friday with a grim reminder that the conflict has created the world’s biggest hunger crisis and largest displacement emergency. Every day, civilians have been “paying the price for a war they did not choose”, said the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
Ravina Shamdasani, UN Human Rights spokesperson, made the following comments at the bi-weekly press briefing of the United Nations on the United States’ intervention in Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , OHCHR
Venezuela: US military intervention ‘far from victory for human rights’, makes world less safe – UN rights office
The UN rights office (OHCHR) on Tuesday expressed concern over the situation in Venezuela following the United States military operation and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, insisting that the move runs counter to international law and damages global security.