Ethiopia opens humanitarian access to Tigray region
The government of Ethiopia has declared an indefinite unilateral humanitarian truce and called on the opposition to reciprocate to achieve the desired aim of free aid flow to thousands affected in the Tigray region.
In a statement issued on Monday, the government said the move highlighted its commitment to exert maximum effort to facilitate the free movement of emergency relief to alleviate the suffering of its people trickling into neighbouring regions in search of assistance.
The government said alleviating the plight of those affected by the conflict was of the utmost priority and a responsibility that it had taken seriously, exerting maximum effort to facilitate the free flow of emergency aid into the Tigray region.
“Cognizant of the need to take extraordinary measures to save lives and reduce human suffering, the government of Ethiopia hereby declares an indefinite humanitarian truce effective immediately.”
“The government calls upon the donor community to redouble their generous contribution to alleviating the situation and reiterates its commitment to work in collaboration with relevant organisations to expedite the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need,” the statement read in part.
The government said the commitment it has undertaken could have the desired outcome of improving the humanitarian situation on the ground if Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reciprocated to ensure the free flow of emergency humanitarian aid to all those in need of assistance.
“To optimise the success of the humanitarian truce, the government calls upon the insurgency in Tigray to desist from all acts of further aggression and withdraw from areas they have occupied in neighbouring regions,” it further stated.
Adding that “while it is heartening to see the fraternal bond and solidarity that is being demonstrated by communities that are receiving and helping those in need of assistance, the government believes that the situation warrants urgent measures to ensure that those in need can receive aid in their localities.”
According to the Ethiopian government, measures have been put in place to expedite the provision of humanitarian aid to people in need in the Tigray region.
“To this end, it has increased the number of United Nations humanitarian flights and expedited clearance procedures for the delivery of fuel, and cash for the payments by aid organisations.”
The humanitarian truce will allow increased flights to ICRC, WHO, and the European Union to be facilitated and deliver assistance through the Abala-Makalie route.
