UK announces £16.6mln funding to drought, conflict-affected regions in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, January 20, 2023 (FBC) – The government of the United Kingdom (UK) announced today a £16.6 million funding to support more than 600,000 people in drought and conflict-affected regions in Ethiopia.

UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office official statement indicates that the aid announced today will reach to more than 600,000 people across drought and conflict-affected regions in Ethiopia.

The UK government, in its statement, acknowledged that humanitarian access has improved in Tigray region since the signing of the peace agreement in November 2, 2022.

It is stated that UK funding to the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) will support the humanitarian aid by delivering aid to those most in need across Ethiopia including Oromia, Tigray, Amhara and Afar regions.

UK’s Minister for Development, Andrew Mitchell, revealed that the total UK funding announced today is £16.6 million supporting more than 600,000 people. A £11.6 million contribution to the PSNP will reach around 250,000 people living in extreme poverty with food and livelihood security.

Money will be pooled with multi-donor funding alongside international partners, and will go to regions in Ethiopia including Oromia, Amhara, Afar and Harar.

Through the World Food Programme (WFP), a further £5 million of UK funding announced today, will also help treat almost 23,000 pregnant and lactating women, and provide better infrastructure for feeding programmes for 42,000 school pupils in 75 schools, the official statement further indicates.

This support to mothers and children will reach the most vulnerable, including those in conflict-affected areas of Northern and Western Ethiopia. WFP funding will also be invested in boosting local production of nutrition products, benefitting a further 330,000 children per month.

The recently appointed British Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Darren Welch, said this latest contribution from the UK is part of a longstanding relationship with the Government of Ethiopia to help address the country’s humanitarian challenges.

UK support to the Productive Safety Net Programme and the World Food Programme will quickly reach those most in need of aid with assistance targeting the most vulnerable, including women and children.

This funding comes just a month after the UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly visited Ethiopia following the recent peace agreement and the opening of humanitarian routes.

This total humanitarian funding for Ethiopia for this financial year, according to the statement, is £49.2 million.