This archive report was first published on 21 August 2021.
August 21, 2021
US aid chief Samantha Power has accused the Ethiopian government of blocking humanitarian aid to the war-torn region of Tigray, where hundreds of thousands of people are facing famine.
Power said the flow of aid into the region remains 'woefully insufficient' and warned that food was running out. She accused the Ethiopian government of obstructing humanitarian aid and personnel, including land convoys and air access.
However, the Ethiopian government has denied these claims, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's spokeswoman, Billene Seyoum, saying that the government was enabling aid convoys to enter Tigray, but security was a priority that could not be compromised.
Power visited Ethiopia earlier this month and met with Abiy Ahmed. She said that humanitarian workers had encountered 'unacceptable' delays at checkpoints, repeated intensive searches, and harassment.
As the conflict in Tigray enters its ninth month, the World Food Programme has warned that it is facing a major funding shortfall to help feed millions of people in Ethiopia. The programme estimates that over 13.6 million people are food insecure due to a combination of factors, including drought, flooding, desert locust invasions, market disruptions, and high food prices.
