As delivered:
Today, a UN humanitarian flight in Ethiopia destined for Mekelle in Tigray was forced to return to Addis Ababa due to air strikes in Mekelle – an incident that raises serious concerns for the safety of humanitarian staff who are working to help civilians in humanitarian need.
UN and non-governmental organizations are making every effort to continue delivering assistance to millions of people in desperate need in Tigray, Amhara and Afar. Conflict dynamics make this increasingly difficult.
IASC Principals met for their second bi-annual meeting of 2021, hosted by UNHCR in Geneva, to discuss country contexts covering Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar, the Sahel Region, and Syria, with a focus on, among others, advocacy on protection, humanitarian access and resource mobilization.
The IASC has just released the endorsed Generic Terms of Reference (ToRs) for PSEA Focal Points, PSEA Network, and PSEA Coordinators developed by IOM and Results Group 2 on Accountability and Inclusion. The generic ToRs harm
As delivered:
I was shocked by the information that the Government of Ethiopia has declared seven UN officials, including senior UN humanitarian officials, as persona non grata.
All UN humanitarian operations are guided by the core principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence. In Ethiopia, the UN is delivering lifesaving aid - including food, medicine, water, and sanitation supplies – to people in desperate need. I have full confidence in the UN staff who are in Ethiopia doing this work.
At the request of the Secretary-General, Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator for the United Nations, is currently in Kabul.
During his visit today Mr. Griffiths met with Mullah Baradar and the leadership of the Taliban in Kabul to engage with the authorities on humanitarian issues.
