19-11-2020 | di COOPI

Ethiopian crisis. COOPI immediately mobilised in Sudan and Ethiopia

The current internal conflict between the Tigray region and the central Ethiopian government is causing a humanitarian crisis which - barring unlikely short-term political solutions - will worst in the coming months.

At present, after the bombings of recent days, there is a growing flow of displaced persons and refugees in need of protection in neighbouring countries (mainly Sudan, but also potentially Eritrea and Djibouti) and neighbouring Ethiopian regions (Afar and Amhara).

COOPI has been present in both Ethiopia and Sudan for years, and in particular in Afar in Ethiopia and Kassala state in Sudan, where most of the tigrinya asylum seekers are on the move.

Refugees flee from West Ethiopia to Sudanese border. @AFP

To date, there are about 30,000 refugees in Sudan, but this figure is expected to raise rapidly in the coming weeks to 200,000, according to UNHCR estimates.

COOPI immediately mobilised:

- in Ethiopia, to organise assistance to coming refugees in the Afar region;

- in Sudan, where we are already operational thanks to the support of AICS and UNHCR, restoring strategic water points (in Hamdayet), in the meantime guaranteeing the immediate supply of water by transporting it by truck and finally supporting UNHCR in setting up the first camps in the Sudanese state of Geradef.

Below some photos of ongoing water trucking activities and, lastly, the Hamdayet (Kassala) border crossing.

Thanks to Uberto Pedeferri for collaborating.