EU pledges an additional $ 29 million to help war-torn Ethiopia region

Photographer: Yasuyoshi Chiba / AFP / Getty Images

The European Union pledged an additional € 23.7 million ($ 29 million) in aid to deal with the aftermath of the fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

“Tigray is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe that risks destabilizing the entire neighborhood,” the EU said in a statement on Saturday.

The UN on Thursday approved $ 35.6 million to support civilians affected by the fighting that began on November 4, with thousands of people displaced and an unknown number killed or wounded. Access to basic services has been interrupted due to insecurity and lack of communications.

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EU humanitarian partners working in Ethiopia will receive € 18.8 million of the additional funding, bringing “total humanitarian support for Ethiopia in 2020 to € 63.2 million,” the EU said.

Sudan, where more than 50,000 people have fled since the conflict began, will receive € 2 million, while Kenya will receive € 2.9 million to deal with deteriorating conditions in refugee camps facing a major food crisis. , said.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said he had to confront the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which dominated the government for 27 years after it took over the Northern Command from the federal army last month. The defeat of the TPLF would remove a major obstacle to democratic and market reforms.

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