ReliefWeb

The IFRC Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) has approved a total allocation of CHF 350, 000 from its Forecast based Action (FbA) mechanism for the Ethiopia Red Cross Society. The approved amount consists of an immediate allocation of CHF 101,777 for readiness and pre-positioning and CHF 248,223 automatically allocated to implement early actions once the defined triggers are met.

The FbA by the DREF is a Forecast-based Financing funding mechanism managed by the DREF. Allocations for the FbA by the DREF are made from a separate financial component of the DREF (MDR00004) and do not affect the reserves of the DREF appeal code MDR00001. Unearmarked contributions to the FbA by the DREF are encouraged to guarantee enough funding is available for the Early Action Protocols being developed.

SUMMARY OF THE EARLY ACTION PROTOCOL

Context

Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa. It struggles with numerous man-made and natural disasters that are exacerbated by multiple factors including poor farming methods, deforestation, poor resource management, low economic development, and the changing climate.

The country has in the present past seen recurring episodes of droughts, pest infestation, COVID-19 Pandemic and floods that has significantly impacted on human lives, livelihoods, economic assets and available infrastructure. The security environment in Ethiopia is diverse and threats vary widely by location. Crime levels in the country are low by regional standards however largescale protests and social unrest occur sporadically. Security risks are considerably heightened in border and remote areas, these include attacks by bandits and the abduction of foreign national. The Tigray Crisis is a current global security concern.