DPM and FM Demeke confers with Executive Director of Oxfam International Gabriela Bucher

Addis Ababa, March 19, 2022 (FBC) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Demeke Mekonnen, received at his office on Friday a delegation led by Gabriela Bucher, Executive Director of Oxfam International.

The two sides noted that drought, COVID-19, conflict, and displacement put the lives of millions of people in Ethiopia in danger, necessitating multifaceted support from Oxfam and other humanitarian partners.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the Ethiopian government has tried to support drought-affected people in some parts of Ethiopia, who need immediate support from Humanitarians, including Oxfam.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, about 23 million people in various parts of the country, including Borena, Omo, and the Somali region, need expedited humanitarian support.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister also explained the government’s effort in providing unimpeded humanitarian access to Tigray, expressing his concern over the provocative actions of the TPLF in the adjacent regions diluting all the positive deeds of the government.

In connection with that, he briefed the Oxfam Executive director about the encouraging steps taken by the government to ensure lasting peace in the country.

In this regard, he mentioned the proposed national dialogue, the release of prominent political figures from prison, and the lifting of the state of emergency as the government’s commitment to paving the way for ensuring peace and stability in Ethiopia.

He finally appreciated the humanitarian support of Oxfam in relieving poverty in Ethiopia, and he pledged to support the organization’s activities in the country.

Oxfam Executive Director, on her part, said that her organization understands the effects of natural and human-made challenges in the lives of many people in Ethiopia.

She said her organization would extend all the necessary support to alleviate the suffering of drought-affected people in Ethiopia.

Country Director of Oxfam in Ethiopia, Regional Head of Programmes at Oxfam in the Horn, East, and Central Africa (HECA), and Head of Oxfam Liaison Office to the African Union accompanied the Executive Director.

Oxfam vows support to alleviate suffering of drought-affected people in Ethiopia