News UN-OCHA flags wide financing gap weighing down Ethiopia humanitarian response
December 7, 2024
A new report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) highlights the constraints facing humanitarian efforts in Ethiopia in light of wide financing gaps.
The Global Humanitarian Overview 2025 report underscored the challenges in meeting the needs of millions of people affected by protracted conflicts, climate-induced shocks, and socio-economic hardships.
Published on December 4, 2024, it stated that Ethiopia remains one of the countries with significant humanitarian needs, driven by a combination of conflict, displacement, drought, and flooding.
The report indicates that in 2023, humanitarian aid to Ethiopia began with a combined allocation of USD 850 million from humanitarian food agencies and the federal government. The funding was designated under the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) to address food response for half of the most affected communities in 2024.
However, shortfalls in financing have constrained humanitarian operations, according to the report.
“While humanitarian organizations have been actively responding to these crises, funding gaps have limited the scale and effectiveness of their interventions,” it reads.
The document emphasizes that Ethiopia is among the countries experiencing the most severe food insecurity globally, with millions requiring urgent assistance to meet their basic nutritional needs. It attributes the food crisis to prolonged drought conditions in some regions, coupled with the impact of conflict on agricultural productivity and market access.
“Conflict and climate shocks across various regions have led to new displacement,” reads OCHA’s report. “The challenging security, protection and access situation—particularly in parts of the Amhara and Oromia regions—continues to hinder people’s access to essential services and lifesaving aid, while complicating humanitarian response and increasing security risks for humanitarian operations in some areas.”
According to the report, by November 2024, only a fraction of the funding required for Ethiopia’s humanitarian response had been secured, with the funding gap forcing aid organizations to prioritize assistance, leaving many needs unmet.
The report also highlights the impact of resource constraints on displaced populations.
“Millions of people displaced internally due to conflict and climate-related disasters remain in dire need of shelter, food, and health services,” reads the report. “However, the limited availability of funds has hindered the establishment and maintenance of adequate support systems for these populations.”
The UN agency draws attention to the increasing vulnerability of women and children, who are disproportionately affected by resource shortages and conflicts. The lack of sufficient funding has impeded efforts to address gender-specific needs and protect vulnerable groups from exploitation and abuse.
The report further emphasized that prolonged conflicts have caused widespread damage to the needy.
“Conflict has caused widespread damage and continues to be a significant driver of humanitarian needs, particularly in relation to protection concerns, including gender-based violence (GBV),” it reads.
UN-OCHA called for enhanced international cooperation and donor engagement to address the funding gaps affecting Ethiopia’s humanitarian response. It emphasized the importance of predictable and sustained financial support to enable timely and comprehensive aid delivery.
The agency reiterated its commitment to working with humanitarian partners and the government to address the ongoing crises, despite the resource limitations.
The presence of more than one million refugees and a greater number of internally displaced persons (IDPs), who remain reliant on humanitarian assistance, has further strained the scarce resources available to humanitarian actors, according to the report.
UN-OCHA estimates that USD two billion in funding will be required to meet the humanitarian needs of ten million people in Ethiopia by 2025.