Addis Abeba, Ethiopia – The Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (DRMC) and the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator have urgently addressed a severe humanitarian crisis impacting approximately four million individuals in drought-stricken areas of Ethiopia.

The joint statement underscores the profound impact of recurring droughts on agricultural productivity and food accessibility in the regions of Afar, Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, Southern, and Southwest Ethiopia. The prolonged absence of rainfall has devastated crops and livestock, exacerbating acute food insecurity and escalating malnutrition rates, leading to critical water shortages and an upsurge in water-borne diseases like malaria, measles, and cholera.

Although significant efforts have been made by the government and humanitarian organizations to boost agricultural and food security interventions, the effects of successive droughts persist among vulnerable populations. Even with over 7.3 million people receiving food aid from the government from July to December 2023, and an additional 6.5 million people receiving aid from organizations like the World Food Program and Catholic Relief Services since mid-December, the situation remains dire for millions.

The DRMC and United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator stress the urgent need for intensified relief operations and increased donor support to avert a worsening crisis, particularly for the nearly four million people facing “crisis” or “emergency” levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), a leading authority in monitoring acute food insecurity, has issued a grave warning about the escalating food insecurity in Ethiopia. It forecasts that without urgent intervention, four million people across five regions are at risk of entering emergency hunger conditions by mid-2024.

The interim administration of Tigray, recently raised a red flag, pleading for aid and warning of an impending humanitarian disaster due to the compounded effects of war and drought. Highlighting extensive destruction of vital infrastructure and healthcare systems, the interim administration emphasized the displacement of over one million individuals, extreme impoverishment, and the near-collapse of essential services and means of subsistence.

The gravity of the situation demands immediate and comprehensive assistance to avert a catastrophe. The stakes are high, the clock is ticking, and the fate of millions hangs in the balance.