UN Agencies Seek $8.9 Million for 50,000 Ethiopian Refugees

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian agencies are seeking $8.9 million to provide three months of life-saving assistance to up to 50,000 people fleeing violence in Ethiopia. Since October 22, displaced individuals, primarily women and children, have crossed the border into Moyale, Kenya. The funding is intended to cover essential needs including food, safe drinking water, emergency shelter, sanitation, and healthcare.

The displacement is driven by a severe security crisis in Ethiopia, involving a multi-front military offensive in the north and regional fighting in the south that threatens the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. While 50,000 people have already arrived, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Kenyan government are expanding response plans to accommodate up to 80,000 people.

UNHCR has deployed an emergency team to Moyale to coordinate with the Kenyan government's Department of Refugee Services and county authorities. Many arrivals are currently staying with relatives, in schools, churches, or at five temporary sites, which has placed significant pressure on local resources. The joint relief effort includes the IOM, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the Kenya Red Cross Society, all of whom are working to identify safer accommodation further from the border.