Tag: humanitarian aid

UK to boost aid support for Gaza

UK Government announces new package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza

The UK Government is today announcing a package of military and civilian support to set up a maritime aid corridor to Gaza, including the deployment of a Royal Navy ship to join the life-saving mission in the Eastern Mediterranean.  

The ship, alongside new UK aid and British expertise, will support the establishment of an international humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza, supported by many of our partner governments and the UN, and is expected to be operational in early May.

As well as the Royal Navy ship from the Ministry of Defence , the FCDO is also committing up to £9.7 million for aid deliveries; logistical expertise and equipment support to the corridor, such as forklift trucks and storage units; and expertise, to maximise the levels of aid reaching those people who desperately need it. 

Today marks six months since the devastating October 7 terrorist attacks, and almost a week since British aid workers were killed trying to get life-saving food to those in need. The UK continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause leading to a sustainable ceasefire, as the fastest way to get hostages safely home and more aid in.

In the meantime, the UK Government is doing everything possible to get more aid into Gaza by land, air and sea. In recent weeks, the Royal Air Force has conducted five airdrops along the coastline of Gaza, safely delivering over 40 tonnes of food supplies, including water, flour and baby formula. 

Supporting the Jordanian humanitarian land corridor from Amman into Gaza and in partnership with the World Food Programme, the UK’s largest delivery of aid crossed the border on 13 March which saw more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid being distributed on the ground to families in need. Land deliveries will now be scaled up with the opening of the Erez crossing, which the UK wants to see reopened permanently. 

A full UK field hospital run by UK-Med is also now fully operational in Gaza and providing life-saving care. It has already treated more than 3,000 people, almost half of them children. 

Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said: “The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it. Along with the US, Cyprus and other partners, we are setting up a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza to get aid in as quickly and securely as possible.

“Land access remains crucial to deliver aid at the scale now required. The opening of Erez and the Port of Ashdod is hugely welcome and something the UK has long been calling for. Israel has also agreed to increase the number of aid trucks entering Gaza to a minimum of 500 a day. But we need to continue to explore all options, including by sea and air, to ease the desperate plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”

Gazans are facing a devastating humanitarian crisis and there needs to be a significant increase in the volume of vital supplies entering the territory by all routes, as well as changes to ensure aid can safely be delivered on the ground.

Following the killing of World Central Kitchen aid workers last week, the UK government continues to call for urgent reform of deconfliction mechanisms, alongside assurances that guarantee the safety and security of humanitarian aid workers, who work tirelessly on the ground to ensure vital aid supplies reach those who need it most.

The multinational maritime corridor initiative will see tens of thousands of tonnes of aid pre-screened in Cyprus and delivered directly to Gaza, via the new US temporary pier being constructed off the coast or via Ashdod Port, which Israel has now agreed to open. The Prime Minister raised the importance of opening Ashdod to facilitate humanitarian aid earlier this week. 

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps commented: “A Royal Navy ship is now en-route to the Eastern Mediterranean to support international efforts to get life-saving aid to Gaza. 

“The Armed Forces are playing a central role in delivering aid, with the Royal Air Force recently completing five airdrops of food supplies for the people of Gaza. We are now going further, working with international partners to set up a humanitarian maritime corridor from Cyprus to Gaza. A new temporary pier on the coast of Gaza will be critical to supporting these efforts, by hosting cargo ships to deliver aid by sea. 

“I would like to thank all the personnel involved in this effort, working around the clock to help provide critical aid under immensely challenging circumstances.”

British military teams have been embedded with planning teams in the US operational HQ in Tampa as well as in Cyprus for several weeks to jointly develop the safest and most effective maritime route. The UK Hydrographic Office has also shared analysis of the Gazan shore with US planners to help establish the temporary aid pier.

PM statement on six-month anniversary of the October 7th attacks

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on the six-month anniversary of the October 7th Hamas terror attacks against Israel:

Today marks six months since the terrorist outrage of 7th October – the most appalling attack in Israel’s history, the worst loss of Jewish life since the Second World War. 

Six months later, Israeli wounds are still unhealed. Families still mourn and hostages are still held by Hamas. 

And after six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow – hunger, desperation, loss of life on an awful scale.

We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists and defend their security.

But the whole of the UK is shocked by the bloodshed, and appalled by the killing of brave British heroes who were bringing food to those in need.  

This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released. The aid – which we have been straining every sinew to deliver by land, air and sea – must be flooded in.

The children of Gaza need a humanitarian pause immediately, leading to a long-term sustainable ceasefire. That is the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in. and to stop the fighting and loss of life. 

For the good of both Israelis and Palestinians – who all deserve to live in peace, dignity and security – that is what we will keep working to achieve.

MSPs launch inquiry to investigate Scottish Government aid after transparency concerns raised

HOLYROOD’s Cross-Party Group on International Development, chaired by Sarah Boyack MSP, is launching an inquiry into the Scottish Government’s International Development, Climate Justice, and Humanitarian funds after transparency concerns.

This comes after the CPG was made aware of concerns from the sector regarding what funds are allocated, how they are prioritised and why.

Last May, concerns were raised about the significant delays to the awarding of the Climate Justice Fund.

There has also been a lack of transparency from the Scottish Government over recent years.

The Scottish Government’s regular International Development Contribution Report has not been published since the 2019-20 edition.

The inquiry aims to establish how and why decisions have been made and seek to make recommendations for a more transparent future approach.

The CPG’s inquiry will be a mix of evidence from stakeholders, alongside desk-based research.

Commenting on the inquiry launch, Chair Sarah Boyack said: “We know the great benefits that international aid can bring to communities in need.

“However, for too long there has not been transparency on how the Scottish Government’s aid programmes have been delivered.

“This inquiry aims to take a constructive approach to bring clarity into the Scottish Government’s Aid programme.

“If Scotland is going to make a substantial impact with its international aid, it is vital that the processes for awarding this aid are suitably transparent.

“I look forward to engaging with stakeholders and others to carry out this inquiry.

“Our aim will always be to ensure Scotland is world leading in international aid, but it is critical that humanitarian support is sent to the right places for the right reasons.”

UK to nearly double aid for Sudan as humanitarian crisis deepens

The UK announced more support for people in Sudan, including funding to UNICEF for emergency food assistance and support for survivors of gender-based violence

  • UK support includes food and water for 500,000 children under 5 as Sudan’s humanitarian crisis grows
  • the funding boost comes as the UK’s Development and Africa Minister, Andrew Mitchell visits the Chad-Sudan border, witnessing the crisis first-hand
  • the UK again calls on the warring parties to commit to a lasting ceasefire and lift restrictions which are preventing aid reaching those who need it the most

The UK yesterday implemented additional support for people in Sudan, 1 year on from the start of the conflict.

This will include funding to UNICEF which will provide emergency and life-saving food assistance to support people particularly in hard-to reach areas in Sudan, including nutrition, water and hygiene services for 500,000 children under 5.  It will also support survivors of gender-based violence.

The UK is committing an additional £4.95 million to provide 100,000 women and girls with a range of female genital mutilation, child marriage and gender-based violence prevention and response services.

The boost has been announced by the UK Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, during a 2-day visit to Chad where he visited a site for refugees driven over the border into Chad by the violence.  

In addition, the UK will be working with the World Food Programme to assist over 285,000 beneficiaries for 6 months by providing 13,405 tons of assorted food commodities.  These include cereals, pulses, oils and salt. 

It is part of a £89 million package the UK will deliver in Sudan in 2024 to 2025 – up from nearly £50 million in the current financial year.  

The  conflict in Sudan has caused more than 8 million people to flee their homes, with over 6 million displaced within Sudan itself. After almost a year of conflict, 25 million people in Sudan need assistance, and the country is on the verge of a catastrophic hunger crisis.  The UN has formally warned of the risk of famine in this year, with 18 million currently facing hunger in the country.

Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, said: “The conflict in Sudan is devastating lives. Millions are displaced and facing catastrophic hunger conditions. There is growing evidence of atrocities against civilians.

“The package announced today will help save lives. We have not forgotten the war in Sudan – nor must the world. The urgent priority is to end the violence.”

Whilst in Chad, Minister Mitchell met with the President of the Transition, Mahamat Deby and Prime Minister Masra to underline UK support for peaceful, transparent and inclusive elections. They also discussed how the UK and Chad could work together towards peace in Sudan. 

RAF airdrops over 10 tonnes of food supplies to civilians in Gaza

The Royal Air Force airdropped over 10 tonnes of food supplies into Gaza for the first time yesterday (Monday 25 March 2024), as part of international efforts to provide life-saving assistance to civilians. 

The aid consists of water, rice, cooking oil, flour, tinned goods and baby formula.

The Defence Secretary authorised the airdrop following an assessed reduction in threat to the military mission and risk to civilians.

An RAF A400M flew from Amman, Jordan to airdrop this aid along the northern coastline of Gaza, as part of the Jordanian-led international aid mission. UK personnel worked closely with the Royal Jordanian Air Force to plan and conduct this mission. 

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said: “The UK has already tripled our aid budget to Gaza, but we want to go further in order to reduce human suffering. Today’s airdrop has provided a further way to deliver humanitarian support and I thank the RAF personnel involved in this essential mission, as well as our Jordanian partners for their leadership.

“The hell that was unleashed by the October 7th Hamas attack has led to wide-scale innocent loss of life. The UK’s goal is to use every route possible to deliver life-saving aid, whether that is by road, air or new routes via the sea. 

“We also continue to call on Israel to provide port access and open more land crossings in order to increase incoming aid deliveries to Gaza.”

The A400M is a highly capable tactical and strategic airlift platform and today’s airdrop was its first ever mission delivering humanitarian aid by parachute. Both RAF and British Army personnel participated in the mission. The drop zones were surveyed before and during the airdrop to ensure aid was delivered directly to civilians. 

This airdrop is part of ongoing UK efforts to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and follows recent land deliveries of 2,000 tonnes of UK food aid to feed more than 275,000 people and thousands of UK-funded blankets, tents and other relief items, as well as the establishment of a full UK-funded field hospital in Gaza run by British charity UK-Med.

The UK remains committed to ensuring aid reaches those who need it most, as Palestinians continue to face a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The UK has previously supported international airdrops, providing around 600 parachutes at the request of Jordan and Bahrain and supplying critical aid for a Jordanian airdrop to Tal Al-Hawa Hospital in northern Gaza.

Between October and November 2023, the RAF also delivered aid and humanitarian supplies to Egypt for distribution by the Egyptian Red Crescent and UNRWA. 

The UK continues to work with allies, including Cyprus, the United States, European Union and United Arab Emirates, to open a direct maritime corridor to Gaza.

UK defence planning teams are deployed in the United States and Cyprus to support this international effort and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is prepositioning aid in Cyprus.

The UK Hydrographic Office has also shared analysis of the Gazan shore with US planners to help establish a temporary aid pier. In January, the UK worked with Cypriot partners to pre-screen 87 tonnes of aid that was delivered by Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Lyme Bay to the Egyptian Red Cross for the people of Gaza.

The UK is also focused on ensuring more aid can enter Gaza by land, working closely with Jordan who have been instrumental in facilitating the UK’s humanitarian response. Last week, more than 2,000 tonnes of food aid was distributed by the World Food Programme on the ground. This adds to the 150 tonnes of UK-funded relief items, including blankets and tents, which arrived earlier this month, distributed by UNICEF.

Alongside the latest deliveries of aid, the UK has announced a further £10 million in aid funding for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), bringing the total spend to over £100 million this financial year. This funding will support UN agencies on the ground to deliver lifesaving aid and will also provide core relief items, such as tents, for the most vulnerable.

Largest UK aid delivery enters Gaza to feed 275,000 people

UK funding to World Food Programme supports major aid delivery in Gaza via Jordanian land corridor

The UK’s largest delivery of aid to Gaza has crossed the border and is being distributed by the United Nations to families in need, the Foreign Secretary has confirmed. 

More than 2,000 tonnes of food aid, funded by the government, is being distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP) on the ground. 

This adds to the 150 tonnes of UK funded relief items including blankets and tents, which arrived last Wednesday 13 March, and will be distributed by UNICEF. A full UK field hospital run by UK-Med has also arrived in Gaza and is now operational and providing life-saving care.

The delivery includes fortified wheat flour for use in bakeries, hot meals and well as Ready To Eat (RTE) food parcels. The food parcels will be used to feed more than 275,000 people in Gaza. Each food parcel is designed for family of five and consists of canned vegetables, meat and fish, and date bars. The parcel can meet half of the daily calorie needs of the family for 15 days.  

This comes in the week that a report from Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that famine is imminent in the northern Gaza Strip and the south faces a risk of famine if conditions continue to worsen.  

Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: “It’s crucial that we keep the flow of aid moving into Gaza to end the suffering, and that’s why this latest delivery of aid by WFP is so vitally important.

“The IPC’s report warns of imminent famine. We need sustained humanitarian access by road to get more aid in. We continue to push Israel to allow more crossings to open and for longer, and for healthcare, water and sanitation to be restored.”

Since the opening of the corridor in December 2023, the Government of Jordan, with the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization, has worked to ensure the passage of almost 600 trucks of humanitarian assistance into Gaza carrying 8,000 tons of relief and food items. 

Humanitarian assistance from 10 different international aid agencies – including from UK partners WFP and UNICEF – has reached Gaza. 

The latest delivery was again facilitated by Jordan, who have been instrumental in supporting the UK’s humanitarian response.

The UK is committed to ensuring aid reaches those who need it most, as Palestinians continue to face a devastating and growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Foreign Secretary has been clear that Israel must increase capacity to safely distribute aid within Gaza.

This includes opening a land crossing in the north and issuing more visas to UN staff who are capable of delivering aid when it arrives in Gaza.

Angus Robertson: UK Government must reverse decision to suspend aid

UNRWA: Scotland’s External Affairs Secretary calls for Gaza aid barriers to be removed

Holyrood’s External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has urged the UK Government to reverse its decision to suspend aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), given the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Writing to the Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, Mr Robertson said he could not “overstate how crucial this decision is, for the very survival of starving children, women and men in Gaza”, given that “UNRWA remains the only organisation with the capacity to distribute [aid] at the scale required throughout the territory”.

He commended the UK Government’s decision to provide £60 million additional funding for Palestinian civilians, including for UNRWA in November and said it was “imperative to the survival of the agency and the irreplaceable function that it provides, that this commitment is fulfilled”.

Mr Robertson also noted the European Commission’s announcement on 1 March that it will proceed to paying €50 million to UNRWA, “based on the swift action taken by UNRWA to immediately dismiss the implicated staff members and to launch an independent investigation”.

Angus Robertson’s letter reads:

Dear Andrew,

I am writing to express my heightened concern for the continuing deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and in particular regarding the suspension of aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) by the UK Government. Given the dependence on UNRWA of 2.2 million people in Gaza, including children who are now dying of starvation, dehydration and infectious disease, I implore you to reverse this decision.

I share the concerns about the serious allegations that a number of UNRWA staff were involved in the abhorrent attacks of 7 October on Israel.  However, I have been reassured that UNRWA is taking the necessary action to investigate these allegations and to mitigate against such risks in the future.

I note that the European Commission announced on 1 March that it will proceed to paying €50 million to UNRWA and increase its emergency support for Palestine by €68 million in 2024. The Commission stated that it took this decision based on the swift action taken by UNRWA to immediately dismiss the implicated staff members and to launch an independent investigation. UNRWA has provided additional assurances that it will facilitate a further review and audit of the Agency by EU appointed external experts and that it will strengthen its department of internal investigations and the governance surrounding it.

I commend the UK Government’s decision to provide £60 million additional funding for Palestinian civilians, including for UNRWA in November. It is imperative to the survival of the agency and the irreplaceable function that it provides, that this commitment is fulfilled and that UNRWA has the necessary predictability of funding for the next financial year.

I also ask you to use your influence to ensure that the barriers to aid getting into and distributed throughout Gaza, which are being imposed in contravention of international law, are removed. I note that the UK and international partners are exploring the activation of a maritime corridor for aid delivery.

When increased levels of aid finally start to enter the Gaza strip, UNRWA remains the only organisation with the capacity to distribute it at the scale required throughout the territory. They must be able to fulfil this critical function.

I cannot overstate how crucial this decision is, for the very survival of starving children, women and men in Gaza.

ANGUS ROBERTSON

As of 11 March 2024, the European Commission, Canada and Sweden have confirmed they will resume aid funding to the UNRWA.

Foreign Affairs Committee “deeply concerned” about Egypt-Gaza border crisis

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns, says she is “deeply concerned” about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, following a visit to Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and a meeting with President el-Sisi.

During a visit to Egypt, the Foreign Affairs Committee investigated conditions in Al Arish, on Egypt’s border with Gaza. The city in North Sinai is the organising point for all aid entering Gaza via the heavily controlled Rafah crossing, the only point of transit between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.

In Al Arish, MPs visited an Egyptian Red Crescent Society warehouse, where they spoke with local volunteers about the serious difficulties distributing aid to Gaza. They also met with patients evacuated from Gaza and medics at the Al Arish General Hospital, and with officials from the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and other humanitarian agencies such as UNICEF.

MPs also spent time in Cairo, where in addition to the President they met with senior Egyptian government representatives including Assistant Foreign Minister for Europe Khaled Emara and Assistant Minister for Arab Affairs Mohamed El Badri. They also met with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, and Egyptian civil society leaders and human rights activists.

The Committee also conducted meetings in Saudi Arabia, including with the Minister of Commerce Majid Al Qassabi; Head of Policy Planning in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rayed Krimly; members of the Shura Council; President of the Human Rights Commission Hala Al Tawaijri and officials from the US Embassy in Saudi capital Riyadh.

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alicia Kearns MP, said: “We’ve just returned from the aid staging location in Egypt, where thousands of trucks are sat waiting to deliver aid.

“Egypt is playing an important role in the current crisis as a mediator between Israel and Hamas towards a truce and enabling the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza. We also held important discussions with counterparts regarding crises such as Sudan, Yemen and beyond.

“I am deeply concerned about the situation Members of the Foreign Affairs Committee saw at Egypt’s border with Gaza. We saw hundreds upon hundreds of trucks sitting in Al Arish, unable to deliver their goods to those so desperately in need of the lifesaving aid they carry due to insufficient opening hours of the crossing, inconsistent restrictions on what items can enter Gaza, and a lack of de-confliction to protect humanitarian operations.

“We also saw tonnes of goods that had been rejected. Last month there was almost a week where no trucks entered Gaza with aid and 17,000 children are now unaccompanied due to being separated from their families or being orphaned.

“Saudi Arabia is an important and influential power broker in the Middle East, with a key role to play in maintaining stability in the region.

“It was productive to discuss with interlocutors the crisis in Gaza, how to bring a long-term resolution to the conflict, and to discuss geopolitical priorities such as Yemen and beyond.”

Emergency appeal launched to help children on the brink of starvation

International school feeding charity Mary’s Meals is asking for urgent support in response to the spiralling hunger crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray region 

Mary’s Meals has launched an emergency appeal to deliver urgent food aid to children in Ethiopia who are on the brink of starvation. 

The current situation in Ethiopia is dire. A combination of drought, displacement, and brutal conflict has left huge areas of the country in crisis. Having lived through the atrocities of the Tigray War, millions of Ethiopians are facing emergency levels of food insecurity and hunger. 

The most recent assessment of food security needs from the Government of Ethiopia projected that 15.8 million people in the East African country will face hunger and need food assistance in 2024. This includes more than four million internally displaced people and 7.2 million experiencing high levels of food insecurity and needing emergency help1. 

International school feeding charity Mary’s Meals has been working in Ethiopia since 2017 and feeds 24,320 children every school day. With its local partner, it provides daily school meals to marginalised and disadvantaged children in the impoverished Tigray region in the north-east of the country, close to the Eritrean border. 

The Tigray region is one of the worst affected by the hunger crisis. According to the BBC, 200,000 children in Tigray have left school in the last three months alone2, with many of them working, begging or scavenging for food to survive. 

During the civil war, Mary’s Meals provided community feeding programmes to 30,000 people while schools were closed and families were displaced. 

Following the ceasefire agreement in November 2022 and the re-opening of schools, Mary’s Meals has now fully reinstated its school feeding programme across Tigray. This is bringing hungry children back into education and providing a lifeline to them and their families living in extreme poverty in these challenging days.  

But with an estimated 7.6 million children in Ethiopia out of school because of the conflict and climate shocks3, it is critical that the programme is extended to attract more children into the classroom where they will be given energy to learn and the hope of a brighter future. 

Now, there is an urgent dual priority – ensuring that children in Tigray have food and boosting their chances of engaging with education again. 

Matt Barlow, Executive Director of Mary’s Meals, says: “The stories we are hearing from our partner in Ethiopia are simply devastating. 

“The two-year civil war has caused widespread destruction and left physical and mental scars on people all over Tigray, including children – many of whom have missed years of schooling and who are now starving. The war has undone years of progress in Tigray’s education system and we know the impact of children missing years of learning is huge. 

“With your support, we can bring these hungry children back to the classroom and give them a nutritious meal which will allow them to focus on their lessons and give them an education. Ultimately this will help to lift them, their families and communities out of the extreme poverty they are living in”. 

As funds allow, Mary’s Meals’ partner is ready and waiting to extend its feeding programme to more schools, in areas of great need across the region. They will work together to reach as many more children as possible with daily meals in school over the coming weeks and months. 

Matt continues: “The situation is urgent. But there is something you can do. You can help to bring these desperate children back from the brink of starvation. 

“Throughout the UK, I have witnessed people respond with incredible acts of kindness in moments of crisis and when all hope may seem lost.

“Now, we need your support. Please donate what you can today – even the smallest donation can help to save a life.” 

To find out more about the Mary’s Meals Crisis in Ethiopia appeal, please visit www.marysmeals.org.uk/campaigns/crisis-in-ethiopia 

£100 million new aid for over three million vulnerable Ethiopians as humanitarian crisis deepens

  • UK Government announces new aid to save the lives of mothers and babies in Ethiopia as UK warns of growing risk of humanitarian catastrophe.
  • The funding comes as the UK’s Development and Africa Minister, Andrew Mitchell, returns from a 2-day visit to the country,  witnessing the humanitarian crisis first hand
  • UK calls on the international community to step up efforts to prevent a major crisis

More than three million Ethiopians, including mothers and babies, will receive lifesaving help from the UK through a new humanitarian aid programme and further support for the Tigray region. The uplift has been announced by UK Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell following a two-day visit to Ethiopia.

While in Ethiopia, Mr Mitchell set out a series of actions the UK is taking to help stem the worsening tide. He announced a new UK fund worth £100 million for Ending Preventable Deaths that is targeted on children, particularly children under the age of five, and also on pregnant and post-natal women.

The programme will help more than 3 million Ethiopians – mostly women and children – access essential health services. The funding will increase, among other things, access to family planning support, medicines, and childhood vaccinations.

In addition, emergency funding will help 75 health centres tackle malnutrition and other preventable causes of death such as malaria and cholera.

Across northern Ethiopia, millions of people are facing hunger. War and climate change have crippled crop production and driven people off their lands. The conflict in Tigray has left more than 1 million people displaced.

The combination of conflict and failed harvests in northern Ethiopia have plunged over 3 million into a state of critical food security and hunger. Millions more people are in need, with women and young children in particular, severely affected.

The Minister for Development and Africa Andrew Mitchell said: “The crisis is a wake-up call to the world. Food shortages are at a critical level. War has displaced people and decimated vital infrastructure. Climate change and El Nino have fuelled local exoduses with 400,000 displaced in the Somali region of Ethiopia as of last December. 

“Millions are trapped in displacement, hunger and need.  As ever the most vulnerable people, particularly women and children, are the first to be hit.

“The international community needs to come to Ethiopia’s side and work with our friends in the government and international partners to halt and reverse this crisis. In a region that has experienced the horrors of famine in the past, we must ramp up international efforts to avert a major crisis in the near future. We need to act fast and act now.”

The Government and international donors are responding to the needs of 6.6 million people. But as the Minister has warned, the number of critically food insecure people is growing rapidly and will reach 10.8 million in the coming months. 

 Mr Mitchell stressed that while the UK is taking positive action which will save lives on the ground, its efforts alone will not be sufficient to contain the crisis, and that urgent cooperation with international partners and agencies and government will be necessary to prevent the worst.

Meeting with the Government of Ethiopia, he also discussed the UK’s humanitarian commitment to Ethiopia, to women and girls, ending internal conflict, and issues affecting regional stability, including the recent Memorandum of Understanding between Ethiopia and the Somaliland authorities on access to the Red Sea.

Scottish Government pledges £500,000 aid for Zambia

Red Cross emergency appeal funding

International Development Minister Christina McKelvie has pledged £500,000 to help contain a deadly cholera outbreak in Zambia.

The funding comes in response to an emergency appeal from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) for funding to support measures including contact tracing, vaccination and the supply of safe drinking water.

As of 27 January, 14,900 confirmed cases and 560 deaths have been recorded as a result of the outbreak, with all 10 of Zambia’s provinces reporting cases.

The IFRC reports this rapid escalation has put a strain on local health services and schools throughout the country have been closed in attempt to stop further spread of the disease.

International Development Minister Christina McKelvie said: “The next few weeks will be crucial to prevent this severe and rapidly growing cholera epidemic from escalating further.

“Particularly ahead of Zambia’s rainy season, as the majority of vulnerable communities have no access to clean water and sanitation facilities, which are essential to prevent the spread of cholera.

“This funding reflects the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure Scotland fulfils its role as a good global citizen through international development and humanitarian work, as well as our longstanding partnership with Zambia.”

Rob Murray, Director for Scotland, British Red Cross, said: “Volunteers and staff from the Zambian Red Cross Society are leading the response to the cholera outbreak in the country, alongside the Zambia Ministry of Health, and this funding will help to carry out vital training for volunteers who will be at the forefront of the response in the affected communities.

“Speed is critical in dealing with an outbreak such as this therefore we are extremely grateful for the swift response and leadership the Scottish Government has shown in providing these funds.”

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Cholera outbreak spirals in Zambia: IFRC launches urgent CHF 4 million appeal | IFRC