EU allocates €200,000 to aid Ethiopia’s quake-hit communities as thousands face dire conditions
Addis Abeba – The European Union (EU) has announced a €200,000 allocation in humanitarian aid to address the urgent needs of communities affected by recent earthquakes in the Afar, Amhara, and Oromia regions.
In a statement issued on 11 February, 2025, the EU stated that the funding would assist the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) in providing essential relief, including multipurpose cash assistance, clean water, shelter, healthcare, sanitation, and emergency referrals.
The four-month project, running until the end of May 2025, aims to benefit 10,000 people in the hardest-hit areas. The funding is part of the EU’s broader contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Reports indicate that recent seismic activity has impacted approximately 10,000 residents in the North Shewa Zone of the Amhara region, which borders the Afar region. This is in addition to the 55,000 individuals affected in Afar and the 30,000 impacted in Oromia, bringing the total number of affected people across the three regions to nearly 100,000.
The EU’s assistance comes at a critical time, as displaced individuals report living in overcrowded shelters with limited access to food, water, and essential resources. According to a recent article by Addis Standard, those affected by the earthquake have described aid from the government and humanitarian organizations as “inadequate.” AS
