Aid Neutrality under Fire in Ethiopia’s Widening Conflict
Ethiopian government accusations that aid agencies are supporting rebel forces in Tigray have left international relief organizations concerned for the security of frontline staff, even as conflict escalates and hundreds of thousands of people face famine.
In a statement last week, Ethiopian foreign affairs official Redwan Hussein accused aid organizations of delivering weapons and equipment to rebel groups, and said unnamed UN agencies were “fabricating facts and figures” in a campaign aimed at “disrespecting and defaming Ethiopia”. He also threatened to expel staff members of the agencies.
The conflict in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region has uprooted about two million people, disrupted farming and jobs, and destroyed schools, water points, and health clinics. Almost all the region’s five million people need some kind of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN. Some have fled to neighboring regions and to Sudan.
More than 50 aid groups – including UN agencies, NGOs, and local organizations – are currently responding to the crisis. They have collectively requested just over $850 million to meet humanitarian needs through the year.
In private, several of the aid agencies contacted by The New Humanitarian deny the government’s allegations, but none were willing to comment publicly, citing a tense political and security situation in the country.
Observers say the government claims – alongside rumors, online misinformation, and critical local media coverage – heighten risks for relief operations.
“Once you associate the NGOs with the enemy, it removes any moral obstacle to attacking them,” said Abby Stoddard, of the consultancy group Humanitarian Outcomes, which provides research and policy advice for aid agencies.
Nearly a month ago, three Tigray-based humanitarian workers from Médecins Sans Frontières were murdered – among 12 aid workers killed since the conflict began in November 2020.
Stoddard told The New Humanitarian that while governments often grumble about aid agencies in civil wars, this was the most public and direct allegation she could recall in recent years, and could fuel further attacks against aid workers.
“It would be bad enough if a random person tweeted it, but this is coming from the government,” said Stoddard, who has authored a book on aid worker security in warzones.
A senior aid official familiar with the relief operation in Ethiopia added that the announcement would lead to an “atmosphere of increased hostility” against humanitarian groups, and would be used to justify a continued blockade of aid to Tigray.
Other aid workers say understanding the allegations of aid agency misbehavior is difficult when the government has not provided details of its claims.
Stefan De Keersmaecker, a spokesperson for the EU – which funds aid agencies in Tigray – did not comment on the specific allegations but said agencies undergo a due diligence assessment prior to the disbursement of funds and face “regular checks” during project implementation.
A spokesperson for USAID – another major donor to the relief operation – said the agency takes “seriously” any allegation of assistance being diverted but added: “These types of statements can increase the danger to humanitarians who are risking their lives to help others. Anything that further hinders humanitarians from doing their job saving lives is deeply concerning and will only exacerbate an already dire situation.”