Addis Ababa, Sep 28 (IANS) The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Monday warned of deepening natural and man-made humanitarian challenges in Ethiopia as a “severe” funding shortfall hampers its relief operations.
In its latest Ethiopia country brief, the UN agency noted that Ethiopia, with a population of approximately 140 million, continues to advance a far-reaching economic reform agenda aimed at unlocking long-term growth and strengthening its development trajectory, Xinhua News Agency reported.
It, however, stressed that despite these ambitious reforms, persistent inflation, combined with insecurity, displacement and climate shocks, “continue to erode household resilience and heighten food security concerns.”
The agency noted that El Nino-driven rainfall disruptions are further exacerbating the situation by threatening the October-to-January harvest, worsening drought conditions, and heightening food security risks across the Afar, Amhara, Tigray, and Oromia regions, with humanitarian needs expected to rise further through 2027.
To mitigate anticipated impacts, the WFP has advanced preparedness for El Nino-related shocks, including plans for a phased emergency response in the Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions starting in September, targeting a total of 1.43 million people. The WFP’s operational update also noted that some 1.9 million people were assisted in August.
Meanwhile, the UN agency warned that “a severe funding shortfall” is hampering its life-saving operations, with its country portfolio just 46 per cent funded for October 2026 to March 2027, leaving a net funding requirement of 251 million U.S. dollars.
It noted that although government emergency response capacity continues to strengthen, funding shortfalls “pose a growing risk to humanitarian operations amid rising food insecurity, displacement, and climate-related needs.”
The WFP further voiced concern that increasing insecurity in multiple regions continues to constrain supply routes and delay the timely delivery of assistance. The agency highlighted that its emergency relief operations in Ethiopia prioritise the most food-insecure and vulnerable populations.
Ethiopia also remains one of Africa’s top refugee-hosting countries, currently accommodating more than 1.13 million refugees and asylum-seekers, driven by ongoing inflows from Sudan and South Sudan.
–IANS
ksk/