Oxfam statement in advance of the UN Security Council Briefing on Tigray

In advance of the UNSC Briefing on the crisis in Tigray, Oxfam in Ethiopia’s Country Director Gezahegn Kebede Gebrehana, said:

“Days after the unilateral ceasefire was announced and as communities and global leaders grapple with the new context, millions of people across Tigray and surrounding areas remain in crisis. In our response, Oxfam and local organizations we’re working with are seeing families reeling from the combined threats of violence, human rights abuses, hunger, locusts, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with the ceasefire, many vulnerable people are left without protection and resources, and need is only expected to grow.

“There are now more than 350,000 people in a hunger catastrophe in Ethiopia, and this is a crucial time for farmers to plant crops. If they aren’t safe to do so, it will continue the cycle of hunger and have deadly consequences for months to come. We are calling on all parties to make effective use of the announced ceasefire, prioritize the safety of civilians, and to allow humanitarians to safely access those in urgent need. The UN and others must push for increased humanitarian access, including via a possible airbridge, to Tigray and we must see increased funding to save lives now.”