US sends financial aid to Ethiopia over conflict, climate shocks

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia

The US on Tuesday announced financial assistance in support of food security efforts in Ethiopia.

“Today the United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), announced nearly $55 million in additional food-security assistance to Ethiopia,” a USAID press release said.

The Horn of Africa country with 120 million people has been grappling with debilitating economic woes due to soaring food prices that came about at the heels of multiple factors: conflict, climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and now the Russia-Ukraine war.

“Ethiopia is currently experiencing increased food insecurity due to higher food and fertilizer prices, which have been exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the release said. “USAID will utilize this new funding to help Ethiopians overcome the current food crisis and to build further resilience to prevent and respond to food-related shocks in the future."

The financing would "boost current food production supply by rebuilding water supply systems, granting agribusiness loans, training farmers unions, bolstering seed and fertilizer distribution networks, and helping farmers purchase vital farming equipment."

Meanwhile, the UN World Food Program welcomed a donation of $60 million from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support its humanitarian response in Ethiopia.

The WFP said that the funding will provide emergency food and nutrition assistance in response to an alarming rise in food insecurity, particularly in the north of the country where 19 months of war has almost exhausted people’s coping mechanisms and displaced hundreds of thousands from their homes.

More than 13 million people require humanitarian food assistance in conflict-affected Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions, it said.

“This new funding from the UAE comes to Ethiopians in their hour of need ... The next three months are critical and we welcome the support and partnership of the UAE at this time – it is a contribution which will save the lives of millions,” said Claude Jibidar, WFP’s country director and representative in Ethiopia.

According to the UN, tens of millions of people were rendered needy of emergency assistance due to the armed conflict between the Tigray rebels and government forces in the country’s north.

*Andrew Wasike from Nairobi, Kenya contributed to this report​​​​​​​