On the background of famine and conflict, UN staff are accused of interference in internal affairs by Addis Ababa.
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The humanitarian community in Ethiopia could cash the shock wave caused by the expulsion of seven UN leaders, Sunday, October 3rd. “It’s a masterful slap,” launches the head of an organization present in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Accused of interference in the country’s internal affairs, UNICEF senior officials, from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, have been declared Persona Non Grata. An extremely rare decision to such a scale.
This sentence illustrates the chasm that has erected between the humanitarian workers and the authorities of Addis Ababa since the beginning of the Tiger War, in November 2020. From the first months of the conflict, the government of Abiy Ahmed had accused without evidence of NGOs to deliver weapons to the rebels of the province of the North. In August, organizations such as doctors without borders or Norwegian refugee council were suspended. This time, the Ethiopian authorities complain to the officials of the UN agencies to divert help and communication equipment for the benefit of the rebels, but also to politicize the humanitarian crisis.
It does only increase. In Tiger, more than 400,000 people have “crossed the threshold of famine”, according to the latest United Nations estimates, and 5.2 million people need assistance. And the conflict now overflows on the two neighboring regions, Afar and Amhara.
Famine, “a hypersensitive rope”
According to several Diplomatic sources in Addis Ababa, the seven officials took charge of the recent positions of the UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Martin Griffiths. The latter pointed out the Ethiopian government, responsible, according to him, “of a facto humanitarian blockade”, recalling that only 11% of the necessary food aid could be sent to the tabby since the end of June. He also referred to the great famine from 1984 in Ethiopia, hoping “that a similar drama is not reproducing”.
“Famine is a hypersensitive rope for the Ethiopian authorities,” recalls a humanitarian present in Ethiopia who is expressed under anonymity. Autocesure lasts for several months. A form of victory for Addis Ababa, who wants to silence the dissenting voices. Dina Mufti, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was also commended by the expulsion of the UN officials, saying that it would serve “lesson” to other humanitarian staff.
In the immediate future, these evictions should not affect TiFi tirable assistance operations. “Decapiting the thinking head of his humanitarian agency, Ethiopia rather removes his negotiating force”, summarizes another humanitarian worker.
The United States and five European countries have requested a new meeting from this week – and this time public – the UN Security Council. “The institution will firmly have to condemn this dramatic decision, at the risk of creating a dangerous precedent,” ensures Western diplomat. Since the beginning of the Tiger’s war, the members of the Council have failed to agree, because of the blockages opposed by some countries like Russia.