Addis Ababa- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is to receive 2 million USD to provide lifesaving assistance to over 155,000 crisis-affected population in Ethiopia. The new funds come from the Ethiopian Humanitarian Fund (EHF), and will finance four new projects.  

The East African nation faces some of the most complex migration issues in the world. Social, economic, political and climatic change factors drive populations to leave their homes both from within and outside Ethiopia’s borders.   

The new funds will target a broad range of humanitarian needs: mental health and psychosocial support, site management support,  both efforts that will help local and national authorities provide assistance and protection to Internally Displaced

Persons (IDPs). Aid also will be directed to assist returnees and affected host communities in the areas of Dire Dawa, Eastern Ethiopia and East Hararge in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.  

Also in Oromia, the new funding will provide water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and shelter in the Borena zone, while for the disaster-affected population in Moyale, funding will be directed towards emergency preparedness measures.  

Living conditions for IDPs, returnees and many host communities are dire. Shelter, safe access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), basic health services, and critical non-food items (NFIs) are urgently needed.  

To reduce avoidable illnesses and mortality among IDPs, returnees and host communities in West Guji, East Wollega and Gedeo zones in Oromia and Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s regions, IOM will be using the funds to improve access to essential health care services, mental health and psychosocial support, which will benefit at least 60,000 displaced. 

Ethiopia continues to receive migrants and refugees, 88,044 between January and October last year, particularly from neighbouring Eritrea, South Sudan and Somalia. While Ethiopia’s displacement landscape shifted significantly in 2019, basic needs remain high. 

“This funding from EHF will enable IOM to continue its ongoing work of helping a record number of migrants, IDPs and other vulnerable communities over the next five to nine months,” said Ester Ruiz de Azua, Emergency and Post-Crisis Programme Coordinator in IOM Ethiopia. “IOM is extremely grateful to EHF for providing such generous funds early in the year, helping us to meet the needs of those we help efficiently and effectively,” she added. 

 For more information, please contact Krizia Kaye Viray, IOM Ethiopia, Tel.: +251993531220, Email: kkviray@iom.int.