Ethiopia's UN-backed humanitarian response plan about 3,24 bln USD

ADDIS ABABA-, United Nations (UN) partners raised over 630 million USD for humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia during the international pledge conference held in Geneva last Tuesday, according to UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Since the Humanitarian Response Plan of UN to Ethiopia for 2024 is about 3.24 billion USD, the total fund raised in response to humanitarian issues in Ethiopia accounts less than five percent of its plan.

According to UN latest report, well-coordinated response is already underway. The UN and humanitarian partners are backing the nationally led response to scale up life-saving assistance to 15.5 million people, and food aid to 10.4 million.

During the pledge conference, Foreign Affairs Minister Ambassador Taye Atskeselassie said that "The Ethiopian Government has launched integrated policy initiatives to transform the country from climate-induced crisis to food self-sufficiency based on a peace-development-humanitarian nexus."

"Addressing the impacts of climate change requires collective global responsibility....[] Ethiopia is determined to end the cycle of food insecurity. We appreciate the continued support of our development partners for their solidarity and cooperation in support of our national development endeavors and for their response to humanitarian needs," he added.

The UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Joyce Msuya also urged all international community members across the globe to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people and Government of Ethiopia as they face challenging times ahead.

Conflict and climate hazards have taken a merciless toll: families uprooted, children malnourished and out of school, and now, with the lean season at the door, the grim spectra of rising hunger, the assistant secretary-general said adding that : " We must help them turn the tide, invest in people's lives, futures, and wellbeing, and bolster their inherent strength in the face of adversity."

The Government of Ethiopia recently endorsed a new National Policy and Strategy on Disaster Risk Management in recognition of the country's vulnerability to different climatic and conflict-driven shocks and committed 250 million USD for food support over coming months, according to the UN report.