EU Allocates €200,000 for Ethiopian Earthquake Relief Efforts
The EU funding comes through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Disaster Response Emergency Fund.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia— The European Union has committed €200,000 ($215,000) in humanitarian aid to support victims of ongoing seismic activity in Ethiopia's Main Ethiopian Rift region, officials announced Tuesday, writes Winston Mwale.
The funding will support the Ethiopian Red Cross Society's efforts to provide essential services to communities in the Afar, Amhara and Oromia regions, where over 99,000 people have been affected since October 2024.
"This aid package addresses the most urgent needs of displaced families," said Maria Gonzalez, EU humanitarian coordinator for East Africa.
"Our priority is ensuring access to clean water, shelter, and emergency healthcare."
The four-month project, running through May 2025, aims to assist 10,000 people through multipurpose cash transfers, water provision, and emergency referrals.
Since January, the region has experienced multiple earthquakes, including a 5.8 magnitude tremor on January 4 that damaged critical infrastructure.
Authorities report that hundreds of homes, schools and health centres have been destroyed.
"The situation remains highly volatile," said Abebe Tadesse, head of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society.
"Many families are living in temporary shelters with limited access to basic services."
Engineers are monitoring the Kesem/Sabure dam after widening fissures appeared on several major routes in the area. Officials warn that dam failure could cause catastrophic flooding downstream.
The earthquakes centred around the Fentale volcanic complex, have also damaged the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, disrupting regional trade.
The EU funding comes through the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' Disaster Response Emergency Fund.