ReliefWeb

(Excerpt)

Ethiopia

On Ethiopia, I can tell you that we remain extremely concerned about the safety of civilians in the Tigray Region, especially the more than half a million people — including more than 200 aid workers — who remain in Mekelle following information that fighting might move into the city in the coming hours.

We and our humanitarian partners in Ethiopia are urgently calling on all parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities and water systems.

Our humanitarian colleagues also stress that it is urgent that all parties to the conflict enable the free and safe movement of affected people in search of safety and assistance, including across international and within national borders, regardless of their ethnic identification.

We along with our partners in Ethiopia are ready to provide humanitarian assistance to people impacted by the conflict. For this, free, safe and unhindered humanitarian access is urgently needed.

We continue to receive reports of internal displacement. Nearly 39,000 people have now fled to Sudan, including 17,000 children. The response is scaling up, but the influx of arrivals is outpacing the capacity on the ground and additional funding is urgently needed.