Addis Ababa, September 4, 2020 (FBC) – European Union (EU) alongwith the IOM has announced financial support 45,000 people affected by infestation of desert locusts in Oromia and Somali Regions.
Over the next four months, 45,000 individuals will receive cash grants amounting to 1,500 Birr each to buy essential commodities in the affected regions of Oromia and Somali, IOM stated.
IOM Chief of Mission to Ethiopia, Maureen Achieng said the support is extended in response to a call by Ministry of Agriculture for immediate action to address the Desert Locust infestation in Ethiopia.
“The EU has been committed to support efforts to address the desert locust infestation not only in Ethiopia but also in the Horn of Africa,” says Yassine Gaba, the Head of Office of the EU Humanitarian Aid in Ethiopia.
Amounting to 1,500 Birr per household each month for over four months, the cash transfers are unconditional and will be handled through financial service providers such as the Ethiopian Postal Services and Somali Microfinance Institution (SMFI), he added.
The European Union is also supporting other IOM interventions in Ethiopia since April 2019, through a USD 10 million grant, it is indicated.