According to the IOM, nearly three million internally displaced Ethiopians were driven away by drought, frequent flooding, landslides and lack of resources, among other causes.

It specified that the high displacement, damage to infrastructure and basic services expose the population to significant protection risks, hence, transition and recovery efforts are needed for the recovery of the affected communities together with immediate humanitarian aid.

Ethiopia is also an important country of departure, transit and destination for mixed migratory flows in the Horn of Africa, the organization pointed out. An alarming number of migrants return destitute and require assistance.

Out of the requested budget, $59 million will be used to support 2.5 million people in drought-affected areas, and the remainder to provide assistance to 2.6 million people affected by various hazards, according to the IOM’s response plan.

It urged international organizations, partners and stakeholders to cooperate with humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia.

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) revealed on March 26th in its latest report that the intense drought affecting Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya caused the death of at least 9.5 million head of cattle, the main source of income and nutrition for pastoral communities, and warned that food prices are abnormally high due to macroeconomic difficulties exacerbated by domestic grain shortages and global supply and fuel crises.

The WFP confirmed that US$2.4 billion will be required by 2023 to meet the relief food needs of 8.8 million drought-affected people across the region.

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