Ethiopia

Overview

More than 23 million people in Ethiopia are estimated in need of humanitarian assistance due to internal conflict, displacement, recurrent natural hazards, and the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19. Nearly 3.9 million people are living in displacement across Ethiopia as at April 2021. Ethiopia hosts more than 814,500 refugees from South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea and Sudan. Most of them have been living in camp settings in Gambella, Somali, Benishangul-Gumuz, Afar, and Tigray regions. 1.3 million IDP returnees face heightened needs -- they often lack legal documentation and therefore have limited ability to move and access services such as shelter, education, health, and humanitarian assistance.?

Recurrent natural hazards, primarily drought and flooding, result in humanitarian needs. Several consecutive years of drought in southern and southeastern Ethiopia have led to worsening food security and disrupted the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmers and herders. In Tigray, ongoing conflict has resulted in the displacement of more than 1.9 million people and high levels of humanitarian need. Between May and June 2021, 5.5 million people (61% of the population analysed) in Tigray and neighbouring regions of Afar and Amhara were facing Crisis or higher (IPC Phase 3 or above) levels of food insecurity, including 350,000 people in Tigray in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5). Food insecurity in Tigray is expected to worsen at least through September, with 74% of the analysed population projected in Crisis or higher levels, including 401,000 projected in Catastrophe.?

INFORM measures Ethiopia's risk of humanitarian crisis and disaster as high at 6.3/10. The lack of coping capacity stands at 6.8/10 and vulnerability at 6.5/10. ?

Latest Developments

24/11: Shortage of the usual bi-annual rainfall in May and September in Oromia region's Borana zone has resulted in increased food and water needs across all 13 woredas of the zone. Local residents say 35,000 cattle have died because of drought conditions as at mid-November. Given that many people depend on livestock for their livelihood, these losses will negatively impact food security.?

24/11: Large-scale displacement was reported in Amhara over 9-15 November, from South Wello, North Wello, and Wag Hemra zones to North Shewa zone, because of active fighting. The IDPs are staying with the host community and in school buildings. Urgent needs include shelter, food (especially in Ebinat IDP site), and health services.?