Blinken announces $331M in humanitarian aid to Ethiopia

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday that the United States will send $331 million in humanitarian aid to Ethiopia.

“This funding will provide life-saving support to those displaced and affected by conflict, drought, and food insecurity in Ethiopia,” he said in a statement.

Blinken broke down the aid, explaining that it includes $12 million from the State Department Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration and more than $319 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development. He said in a statement that this brings the total amount of humanitarian assistance sent from the U.S. to Ethiopia to more than $780 million in fiscal 2023.

“The United States is the largest single-country provider of humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia. Our assistance provides critical, life-saving support, including food, shelter, safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, healthcare efforts, education, and other key services,” he added. “This announcement will help deepen the partnership between the United States and Africa.”

Blinken met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Ethiopia and discussed progress being made with the cessation of hostilities agreement that was signed by Ethiopia and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front in November. This agreement ended the two-year conflict between the two parties, and is now in its implementation phase, according to the State Department.

The Associated Press reported that Blinken also spoke with Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, saying that there is still progress to be made.

“There’s a lot to be done,” Blinken said to Mekonnen. “But the most important thing is to keep the peace that has now taken hold in the north and to strengthen our ties as we move along.”