GOAL supporting more than 80,000 people affected by conflict in the Ethiopian Tigray region  

The conflict, which erupted in November, has worsened fragile living conditions in the region already impacted by drought and desert locust swarms. Millions of people have been left dependent on humanitarian aid.

According to the World Food Programme, more than 2.5 million people need immediate support following the armed conflict. The Government’s National Disaster Risk Management Commission, (NDRMC), in collaboration with partners including GOAL, are supporting affected communities.

Thanks to generous support from Irish AID and EU Humanitarian Aid, GOAL is now working in six affected districts – Enderta, Kolla Tenben, Mekele, Tsadamba, Hintalo Wajirat and Kilete Awulalu/Wukiro – providing food, non-food items and mobile health and nutrition services in remote areas where access is difficult.

Aid distribution in Tigray region, Ethiopia

The nutrition intervention is provided through Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM). This is complemented by mobile health and nutrition services identifying those in critical and moderate need of health and nutrition support.

A separate nutrition centered intervention is underway in partnership with the World Food Programme.

Through these interventions GOAL will reach over 48,000 people with blanket supplementary feeding, targeting children under the age of 2 and pregnant and lactating mothers. An additional 33,000 people will be reached in targeted supplementary feeding.

With support from Irish Aid 1,000 households will be provided with non-food items including blankets, sleeping mats, cooking items, medicines and hygiene kits. 700 of the households are in Enderta and 300 households in Mekelle city.

Last November armed conflict broke out between the regional and federal government in the Tigray region. The eruption of violence came after roughly two years of growing tensions between the government and the country’s former ruling party, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front.

GOAL Ethiopia Country Director, Dinkneh Asfaw, said: “GOAL is now responding to the conflict in Tigray providing vital food, health and nutrition support to the thousands of people thanks to support from Irish Aid, EU Humanitarian Aid and working with local and international partners including the World Food Programme.”

He added: “Many of those affected cannot get hold of the basics needed to survive including food, water and healthcare across some parts of the region. While access is gradually improving, GOAL calls upon partners and donors to scale up the critical humanitarian assistance in the hard-to-reach areas through negotiations for safe and unfettered access to. Access to essential services, including food, water, livelihoods and cash assistance remain disrupted across some parts of the  Tigray Region.