UN considers suspending food deliveries to Amhara region of Ethiopia

By Vatican News

The United Nations is considering suspending food aid deliveries to Ethiopia's Amhara region, following deadly attacks on humanitarian workers there.

Five were killed in the first six months of 2024, ten were physically assaulted or injured, and 11 were kidnapped by unidentified criminal groups.

This is according to Reuters News agency, which has seen an internal UN document stating that the organisation is seriously considering implementing a temporary cessation of relief operations in the region.

Several NGOs and donors have however opposed the move, according to Reuters.

A stop to relief operations would have a dire impact on the more than 23 million people in Amhara who rely on food aid to survive.

The region is home to more than 36 million people and it is the first stop for thousands of refugees fleeing the war in neighbouring Sudan.

Fighting between Ethiopia's army and Amhara Fano militiamen broke out in July 2023 and has killed hundreds and displaced thousands, according to UN estimates.

During a recent two-year civil war, Ethiopia was accused of using starvation as a weapon of war against the Tigray region, which at the time was under a de facto blockade.

UN resident and humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov has said that killings and kidnappings of aid workers were undermining the ability of UN humanitarian workers to do their work, adding that aid delivery would be impeded until a way of working was established that allows safe access to communities in need.

According to the UN document, Ethiopia's government would need to agree to a series of commitments and additional security steps before the UN considers restarting Amhara relief work.

These would include assurances that aid workers would be able to safely work in Amhara and that any severe incidents including kidnappings or killings would be investigated by an independent body.

Reuters contributed to this report