Situation in Tigray (per 15 December)

  • Kibrom Gebresellassie, Chief Executive Director of Mekelle’s Ayder Hospital, lamented that none of the medications provided to the hospital since the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement have lasted longer than two days.
  • The executive director described the shortage of medical supplies as a “continuity of the siege” of Tigray.
  • Kindeya Gebrehiwot, member of the Tigray External Affairs Office, stated that the situation is “even worse” in other health facilities, with malaria becoming an epidemic and fatal zoonotic diseases increasingly reported.
  • World Health Organisation Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, stated that his uncle had been “murdered” by Eritrean troops in Tigray. He added that 50 other people were killed in the same incident. Eritrean Information Minister Yemane Gebremeskel has so far not provided a response.
  • Yabele Media, working on the basis of testimonies, provides insight into the impact of covering the extreme human suffering encountered during the Tigray war  by media personnel.
  • Much of the personnel exposed to such scenes experience symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many experience sentiments of futility or suicidal impulses in the absence of psychological support.
  • The Dr Denis Mukwege Foundation states that there is now a window of opportunity to assist medical and psychological professionals in Tigray to rebuild their services. They propose a holistic health model.
  • The Adigrat Catholic Secretariat has proposed 5 of their health institutions, including Kidane Mehret Specialized Referral Hospital, to replicate the program run at Dr Mukwege’s Panzi hospital. The ADCS will dispatch a team of their medical professionals to Panzi to familiarise themselves with the methods. The foundation has launched an appeal for donations to help fund this operation.
  • According to the Ethiopia Cable, an estimated 120.000 women were victim of rape and gender-based violence in Tigray since the war started in November 2020. This number is likely to increase if it is investigated throughout the entire Tigray region.
  • The  Ethiopian Electric Utility said that power was restored in most parts of the Tigray region, including Mekelle.
  • UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) stated it resumed distribution of aid in Tigray. On 08 December 70 Tonnes of reproductive health medicine and equipment were delivered to Mekelle.

Situation in Ethiopia (per 15 December)

  • According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the cholera outbreak in Ethiopia has spread to 55 kebeles of 5 woredas of Bale,1 woreda of Guji zones of Oromia and 2 woredas of Liban zone of the Somali region. As of 14 December, 669 cases were reported including 24 deaths. Close to 743.000 people are at high risk in the 8 affected woredas.

Regional Situation (per 15 December)

  • Over 800 South Sudanese benefited from e-learning through the Digital Innovation Skills Hub implemented by the South Sudanese NGO CEPO, says the Sudan Tribune. The programme is set to provide access to skills acquisition to develop employability.

International Situation (per 15 December)

  • Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is seeking out US help in pressing Ethiopia into an agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The subject was raised during the US-African Leaders’ Summit on 14 December with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, says Agence France Presse.
  • In his opening speech at the 24th EU-NGO Forum on Human Rights, High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell mentioned his regret that Tigray was not higher on the agenda and that “there is not such a mortality in any other place in the world caused by a war”.
  • Borrell expressed frustration that the situation remains low on the agenda, even though between 600.000 and 800.000 people are being killed in Tigray as civilians were cut off from humanitarian support and services.
  • David Malpass, President of the World Bank, emphasised the importance of ending conflict and achieving lasting peace during his meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
  • The meeting took place shortly after the WB approved a 745 million USD grant to Ethiopia’s health systems and flood management projects, said Addis Standard.
  • According to Addis Standard this new grant takes the WB commitment to Ethiopia to a total of 2.6 billion USD. Malpass and Abiy are also stated to have discussed “government reforms”.
  • According to the Ethiopian Herald, the two discussed Ethiopia’s “transformative economic reform agenda” and the need for “debt resolution” for Ethiopia.
  • According to Fana Broadcasting Corporation, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN, Taye Atske Selassie, reiterated Ethiopia’s call for equal representation of African states in UN organs.

Links of interest

Twitter: Shortage of medication at Mekelle Ayder Hospital, Tigray

Twitter: Kindeya Gebrehiwot The situation at other health facilities in #Tigray is even worse

WHO chief says his uncle was murdered in Ethiopia’s Tigray

Opening speech by High Representative/Vice-President Josep Borrell

Trauma and PTSD take a toll on journalists amid the Tigray war

Twitter: An estimated 120k women and girls have been raped over the course of Tigray war

Electric services restored in most parts of Tigray Region

Long-awaited life-saving reproductive health supplies reach Tigray

Ethiopia: Cholera Outbreak – Flash Update #4 (As of 14 December 2022)

Egypt seeks US help in reviving Ethiopia dam deal

CEPO’s E-learning empowers South Sudanese youth, women

Twitter: Josep Borrell Fontelles We must call out human rights situations

WB emphasises importance of ending Ethiopia’s internal conflicts

Ethiopia’s economic reform agenda and debt resolution

Ethiopia reiterates call for UN organs to allow equal representation of African states

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