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In a sobering alert, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned that millions in Ethiopia are “one shock away from falling into a catastrophe,” as funding shortfalls force dramatic cuts to life-saving food assistance.
Zlatan Milišić, WFP’s country director in Ethiopia, said the agency will be forced to halt nutrition treatment for over 650,000 malnourished women and children starting in May. In total, 3.6 million people are at immediate risk of losing access to food aid unless urgent funding is secured.
“Without new funds, we will not be able to deliver any food assistance to the most vulnerable families we support within three months,” Milišić warned.
Ethiopia, with a population of about 130 million, is grappling with the compounded effects of multiple crises:
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Aftershocks of the two-year civil war in Tigray, which ended in 2022.
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Ongoing conflict in the Amhara and Oromia regions, displacing hundreds of thousands.
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A prolonged drought in the southeast worsening food insecurity.
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A growing refugee influx from neighboring Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, and Eritrea.
The WFP has identified a $222 million funding gap for its operations in Ethiopia from April through September, despite significant support from international donors.
In addition to funding shortages, the agency says insecurity in Amhara is seriously hampering its humanitarian efforts. “Criminal activities such as car hijacking, threats, and theft are on the rise,” WFP noted, adding that these risks endanger staff and disrupt the delivery of aid to over half a million people in need.
With hunger and malnutrition on the rise, WFP has called for immediate action to prevent the looming crisis from spiraling into full-scale disaster.
