Situation in Tigray (per 20 July)

  • The International Medical Corps (IMC) issued a situation report on the health insecurity in Tigray. It says it has been able to deliver medical supplies to the most affected communities despite the continuing challenges, and that humanitarian flights and convoys have recently increased.
  • It warns of fuel shortages which are detrimental to the delivery of aid. The upcoming rainy season is expected to worsen the situation.
  • President of MSF Spain, Paula Gil, is currently in Ethiopia to meet with federal officials to discuss the murders of three MSF staff in Tigray in 2021. She will also travel to Tigray “to pay tribute to the families of our two murdered Ethiopian colleagues,” MSF says. Gil says she still has no answers about the incident and no details about the investigation.
  • The Tigray Spokesperson, Getachew Reda, said in a press release that the government of Tigray is committed to peace talks with the Federal government.
  • He accused the Federal government of not reciprocating, arguing that naming a negotiating team should not be the first step. Rather, stopping to hinder services and humanitarian access should be prioritised. He accuses the Ethiopian government of restricting fuel to the region.
  •  The Tigray Spokesperson also said that while the African Union can play a role in negotiations, it cannot lead them. He blames the AU for inaction during the conflict.
  • A video shared on social media allegedly shows the mass graves of Tigrayans that died of starvation and disease in a camp in Semera, Afar. More than 10,000 Tigrayans are detained there.
  • Three Tigray parties, not including the TPLF, published a joint statement warning  the international community about the Abiy government’s insincerity, stating he seeks only to ease international  pressure.
  • They specifically accused the World Bank, EU, Germany, and Italy of “’appeasing dictatorship’’ and of ‘’permitting genocide’’ for geopolitical interests.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 20 July)

  • UNICEF Emergency Director Manuel Fontaine is visiting the drought-stricken Somali region, heavily impacted by the lack of a rainy season. Fontaine expresses concern about the destructive impact of the drought on children, who are forced to drink contaminated water, which can lead to malnutrition and other deadly diseases.
  • The UAE is contributing $60 million to the WFP to address food insecurity in Ethiopia and provide emergency food aid.
  • USAID announced $55 million in additional food security assistance to Ethiopia. USAID says the funding will help respond to and anticipate food shocks, as well as support agricultural production.
  • The IOM observes a significant difference between Ethiopia’s outgoing migratory movements in May, which are 84,5% of cross-border movements, while 15,5% of the movement were incoming. It attributes the significant outflow to the impact of the drought, increased food insecurity and ongoing conflict.
  • Gambella Regional Communications Officer Mr. Ugetu Adding said the city-wide curfew in Gambella city in the Gambella region is being lifted today. The curfew was ordered following a confrontation in the city between government forces and militia from Gambella and Oromia  on 7 June.
  • The Burayu District Court in the Oromia region pronounced its verdict, ordering the release of senior OLF members Mikael Boran, Dawit Abdeta, Lemi Begna, and Gada Gabisa. The Court ordered their release on 18 July on Habeas Corpus grounds.
  • Oromia Media Network, a US-based Oromia media network, reported that the fighting between the Oromo Liberation Army and government forces is escalating in western, central, and southern Oromia. Residents are saying government forces deployed in the area are harming civilians and losing the fights, according to the network.

Regional Situation (per 20 July)

  • Abdikarim Ali Kar, a Somali government spokesman, says that the 5,000 men sent to Eritrea for military training would soon be repatriated. He denied accusations by soldiers’ relatives, saying they had been recruited under false pretexts and held in captivity.
  • According to the Sudanese Humanitarian Aid Commission, about 14,000 people have been displaced due to the tribal clashes in Blue Nile State of Sudan.

Links of interest