Addis Ababa– The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has welcomed the Government of Ethiopia’s declaration of an indefinite truce to the conflict in the country’s northern region, to allow for humanitarian access and aid. IOM has assisted over one million people affected by the conflict with emergency shelter and other essentials including soap, blankets, plastic sheeting, buckets, and other items since the conflict started in November 2020. 

In a statement published on 24 March 2022, the Ethiopian government promised to start allowing the free flow of humanitarian aid, increase the number of United Nations humanitarian flights that have access Tigray region, and allow the delivery of more fuel and cash for payments by aid organizations working in the region.  

The conflict has led to one of the worst displacement crises in Africa. Over 2 million people have been displaced by the months of fighting and rely on assistance from government authorities, IOM and other partners to meet their daily needs,  including food, shelter, water, sanitation and other basic needs and emergency medical and mental health assistance.

IOM has been providing a multi-sectoral response and humanitarian assistance with quick actions taken to support conflict-affected populations in collective displacement sites and host communities in Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions. Over the past 16 months, IOM has provided over 1.6 million instances of multisectoral assistance to people in need in the northern part of Ethiopia.

“IOM is committed to further scale up its response to emerging humanitarian needs in full solidarity with the Ethiopian people, in close cooperation with the government of Ethiopia and partners. We will continue to operate in a neutral and impartial manner, prioritizing the humanitarian imperative” says Jian ZHAO, IOM’s Acting Chief of Mission and Head of Special Liaison Office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

For more information, please contact Haimanot Abebe, haabebe@iom.int, +251-47-551 0899, ext. 1260