Over the past seven years, the European Union has provided Ethiopia with humanitarian support in monetary value. The organization had released about 815 million euros to cater to the country’s needs and 409 million euros to focus on development projects for the refugees and those living in poor conditions. However, the situation in the country still deteriorates. The number of refugees continues to escalate as resources become scarcer. On Thursday, the United Nations alleged that there were significant international law violations in Tigray’s two refugee camps. And that some immigrants were already vacating the camps.
EU Withholds Budget Support
The European Union failed to released budget support worth 88 million euros to Ethiopia until the government grants humanitarian aids access to the people suffering in northern Tigray. According to a blog post, top EU diplomat Joseph Borrel called on Prime Minister Abiy to live up to the Nobel Prize Award he received in 2019. He urged the Prime Minister to use his power to restore peace in the country.
“We are ready to help, but unless there is access for humanitarian aid operators, the EU cannot disburse the planned budget support to the Ethiopian government,” Borrel said.
However, Prime Minister Abiy’s office did not immediately respond to the plea. In December, Tigray’s government task force stated that they had reached a consensus with the United Nations that Addis Ababa would control the region’s aid agencies. Borrel also remarked that Tigray’s ongoing conflict had degenerated into an internal law and order operation and thus was a threat to the whole region’s stability and growth.
Tigray Crises
In November last year, chaos erupted in the Tigray region between federal forces and the Tigray military. The incident was steered by the escalating tensions between Tigray Peoples Liberation Front and Prime Minister Abiy’s government. Prime Minister Abiy had decided to postpone general elections because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the TPLF members alleged that he was taking advantage of the pandemic to extend his reign. And it was then that the conflict between the two climaxed. TPLF members decided to formulate a regional government in Tigray despite Abiy warning them not to.
Mr. Abiy, having felt disrespected, deployed forces in the region to disband the Tigray government. Meanwhile, the Tigray military was prepared and ready to fight. The two rival troops engaged in a fierce fight, which left an irreversible impact on the region. Some of the occupants in Tigray died during the battle, their homes were destroyed, and some ran away from their homes. It was not long before another incident occurred when Tigray forces attacked a federal camp based in the region and stole ammunition.
The Prime Minister was infuriated by this and so declared war on the Tigray forces and its party. Mr. Abiy deployed federal forces to strike the camp belonging to Tigray forces. Amid the mission, the federal troops destroyed the ammunition, although some Tigray supporters got injured. The TPLF leaders claimed that Abiy’s government was harming the Tigray inhabitants. However, Abiy’s government declared victory over the rebellious leaders in late November despite their vowing to fight. The current situation in Tigray is not pleasant, especially for the refugees who are struggling to survive.
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