Conflict is still ongoing in Northern Ethiopia, with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front having joined forces with six other armed political groups against the Abiy Ahmed government.
The fighting is a renewal of unresolved disputes between the Ethiopian government and the regional groups, and comes off the back of a breakdown of the peace agreement between the two parties, signed after the end of the Tigray war in 2022.
Recently, federal troops and allied fighters regained control over the capital of Tigray, Mekelle, as the TPLF withdrew to operate from elsewhere in the region.
The Ethiopian government has accused Eritrea, Sudan and Egypt of supporting the coalition. This increased regional tension has the potential to spill over into an international conflict, bringing further instability and a heightened humanitarian crisis.
In the last couple of days, Ethiopia has accused Eritrea of deploying troops in the Tigray region near the border with Eritrea, with Ethiopia conducting a series of strikes against these troops.
During this time of instability, it is crucial that we are in constant contact with our partners on the ground in Ethiopia, assessing their needs and directing support to the most crucial areas.
Unfortunately, our planned trip to Ethiopia at the end of October is not going ahead anymore, due to the increased tensions and security risk. The Ethiopian government is currently enforcing a ban on gatherings of over 5 people in Addis Ababa, making our planned Partner Peer Exchange impossible to conduct.
Some of our partners would be travelling from these conflict areas in Afar, Amhara and Tigray, and will be responding to their own emerging humanitarian situations as a priority.
During this time, we will be in contact with our partners on the ground, assessing their needs and seeing where we can provide appropriate assistance. While the situation is unstable at the moment, as an independent organisation working alongside trusted partners on the ground, you can be sure that your support is going towards the people and projects that need it most.
We remain hopeful that diplomacy will prevail, and we will endeavour to keep you up to date as things progress.
Thank you for your ongoing support as we work towards a better future for the people of Ethiopia.
