Ethiopia High-level Pledging Event 16 April 2024, 15:00 - 18:00 Geneva (GMT+2) / 16:00 – 19:00 Addis Ababa (GMT+3)

Concept Note

Last updated 12 April 2024

Event

• The Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United Nations are convening a High-Level Pledging Event for the Humanitarian Situation in Ethiopia.

• The event will take place on Tuesday, 16 April, in person, in Room XXIII of the Palais des Nations in Geneva. - Member States are asked to participate at the Ministerial level.

• Interpretation in English, French and Arabic will be provided. The event will be live-streamed on UN WebTV at the following link.

• All Member States and partners should register here by Friday, 12 April 2024. (Instructions for requesting access to the Palais, if required, are available in the registration form.)

Background

Despite continuing investments by the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (hereafter called the Government of Ethiopia) to build the resilience of vulnerable communities and implement long-term development programs in close cooperation with international partners, Ethiopia faces recurrent humanitarian challenges resulting from climaterelated disasters, conflict and other challenges.

More than 21 million individuals require urgent assistance, including 4.5 million internally displaced people.

The Government recognizes the vulnerability of Ethiopia to different forms of climatic and conflict-driven shock, including recently endorsing a new National Policy and Strategy on Disaster Risk Management, with the aim of redoubling efforts to address humanitarian challenges, including through engaging bilateral and multilateral humanitarian partners.

The El Niño-induced drought has exacerbated humanitarian needs, particularly in the northern highlands, affecting millions of people and their livestock. Communities are grappling with reduced water availability, drier pastures, and decreased agricultural yields. Forecasts indicate a worsening scenario, with the number of critically food insecure individuals projected to peak at 10.8 million between July and September. Malnutrition rates in several regions have significantly increased, surpassing critical thresholds.

In response, the UN and humanitarian partners are collaborating with the government to deliver life-saving assistance to 15.5 million people in Ethiopia, and food aid to 10.4 million. The 2024 joint response plan utilizes data-driven prioritization to target the most vulnerable communities, ensuring aid reaches those in greatest need. Efforts are underway to address long-term displacement by integrating humanitarian and development initiatives, seeking durable solutions.

Whilst seeking to address immediate needs, it is imperative to complement humanitarian response with anticipatory action and resilience building of national response systems to mitigate the impact of climate shocks.

However, the funding outlook is bleak, with an urgent need for US$1 billion to sustain the response over the next three months and secure aid pipelines beyond. More than 6 million people in affected areas are already receiving food and cash. Meeting the food needs of an additional 4 million people each month through September will require $475 million. Additional funding is essential to bridge existing gaps and avert further escalation of the humanitarian emergency.

Despite its challenges, Ethiopia hosts more than 1 million refugees from neighbouring countries. The Government of Ethiopia has continued to provide services for refugees in partnership with development partners. More financial resources are needed to meet the growing demands of refugees.