On Thursday, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that a funding shortfall is hampering its humanitarian response amid mounting humanitarian needs across Ethiopia.
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Ethiopia: UNOCHA Faces Funding Gap To Meet Humanitarian Needs
The UNICEF said in its latest Ethiopia humanitarian situation report that its 674.3 million U.S. dollars Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) 2023 Appeal for Ethiopia remains 72 percent unfunded, as humanitarian needs persist among vulnerable populations across the East African country, particularly those in hard-to-reach locations.
"Only 187.7 million U.S. dollars is available to date, including 50.9 million U.S. dollars carried over from 2022, representing only 28 percent of the required needs to reach children and their families with critical lifesaving and life-sustaining support," the UNICEF said.
It also appealed for support to close the remaining gaps and to ensure that children and their caregivers receive lifesaving support in 2023 and beyond.
Amid mounting humanitarian needs in Ethiopia, as of Sept. 30, a total of 24,929 confirmed cholera cases had been reported in Ethiopia's longest cholera outbreak on record, said the UNICEF, adding that 327 people had died across 10 regions.
Furthermore, the UNICEF also noted that new and ongoing conflict between government and militia forces in Amhara has limited access to 75 percent of the region.
The continued influx of refugees and Ethiopian returnees due to the Sudan conflict has posed an additional pressing humanitarian concern in Ethiopia's Amhara and Benishangul Gumuz regions, UNICEF said. As of Sept. 30, more than 83,000 people had crossed into Ethiopia from Sudan since the conflict erupted in April.
In July alone, UNICEF provided treatment to more than 41,143 acutely malnourished children under five years of age across the country.
Following escalating tensions and subsequent incidents of armed conflict between local militia and Ethiopia Defence Forces, a state of emergency was declared in Amhara on August 3, significantly limiting movement and hampering humanitarian operations.