Addis Abeba – In preparation for the upcoming high-level pledging event for the humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, a group of 17 partner countries, including the United Kingdom, European Union, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United States of America, have released a joint position paper urging the Ethiopian government to prioritize public funding for the most pressing emergency needs in the country.
The event, set to take place on 16 April, 2024, in Geneva, will be co-hosted by the government of Ethiopia, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), and the government of the United Kingdom, with the aim of raising $1 billion to support the United Nations’ prioritized humanitarian plan for the East African nation.
The position paper, which reflects the collective view of the partner countries on the current humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, recognizes the important role of the Ethiopian government in responding to the humanitarian crisis as the primary duty bearer.
The partner countries support the pledging event and commit to mobilizing resources to assist and protect the most vulnerable populations in the affected areas of the country.
The partner countries call for the Ethiopian government to prioritize public funding for the most pressing emergency needs. They have requested the government increase pro-poor policies and regularly report on its assistance to ensure transparency and accountability in the allocation and distribution of resources.
The partner countries also advocate for a scale-up of development funding and further coordination with humanitarians to improve the impact of actions and foster durable solutions.
In addition to prioritizing public funding, the partner countries have asked the Ethiopian government to reinforce efforts to prevent aid diversion and ensure that assistance reaches the most vulnerable, including internally displaced people (IDPs).
The government has been asked to lift bureaucratic impediments imposed on humanitarian actors by confirming a clear process for tax exemption for humanitarian goods and increasing the number and speed of approvals for visas, work permits, and Memorandums of Understanding for humanitarian NGOs.
The government is also called upon to ensure the safety and protection of civilian populations, including aid workers, respect international humanitarian law, and continue working towards peace across the country.
The position paper also calls on international humanitarian partners to improve needs-based prioritization and targeting mechanisms, implement recommendations from the recent UN peer-to-peer review mission, and establish a comprehensive humanitarian information management system to enable better donor funding decisions and ensure accurate prioritization. AS
