News: A fraction of required humanitarian cargo entering Tigray whereas air service for staff rotation improved: UN

Addis Abeba, August 19/2021 – The latest UN report on the humanitarian crisis in Tigray said that “a fraction of the required humanitarian cargo to meet the mounting needs,” was reaching Tigray where the situation “remains unpredictable and volatile, while movement of Tigray Forces in Amhara and Afar continues.”

Humanitarian access into the region remains restricted via the only road through Afar region, where there is insecurity, with extended delays for clearances of humanitarian supplies, and intense searches at checkpoints. Only 30 trucks with humanitarian supplies can be scanned each day under the current procedures, but 100 trucks of food, non-food items and fuel are needed per day moving into Tigray. 

Humanitarian operations are also severely affected by lack of stocks, cash, banking services, fuel and telecommunications. Transport of ICT equipment is still prohibited

UN daily briefing

From 16 July to 15 August, 318 trucks with humanitarian supplies entered Tigray. This is a fraction of the required humanitarian cargo to meet the mounting needs. 

Humanitarian operations are also severely affected by lack of stocks, cash, banking services, fuel and telecommunications. Transport of ICT equipment is still prohibited. 

Staff rotation is improving, with the UN Humanitarian Air Service passenger flight (Addis Abeba-Mekelle-Addis Abeba) now operating two regular flights per week, as planned.  

We, along with our humanitarian partners, continue to stay and deliver to help meet the existing and emerging needs. As of yesterday, there are 457 UN staff (from 10 UN agencies) supporting the humanitarian response in Tigray (90 international staff and 230 national staff in Mekelle and 15 international staff and 122 national staff in Shire). 

Similarly, NGO partners continue to maintain presence in Tigray, with 35 NGOs (29 international NGOs and 6 national NGOs) currently responding to needs on the ground.  

Food response remains the largest component of the response. Despite the many challenges, between 5 and 11 August, food partners reached more than 1 million people under Round 2 of the Response Plan. 

Partners reached about 184,000 people with water and 10,000 children with educational programs, and donated 10,000 textbooks in support of school reopening efforts.  

Twenty-nine mobile health and nutrition teams continue to provide essential health services, reaching more than 50,000 individuals with medical consultations at 72 health facilities and 47 camps for internally displaced people across the region last week. 

Additional staff and supplies into Tigray is the urgent requirement, along with restoring electricity and telecoms, and ensuring that cash and fuel are available to support the response. UN Daily Briefing