The arrival of food aid in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where hundreds of thousands face starvation, could strengthen the fragile ceasefire between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Last week, Abiy’s government declared an indefinite humanitarian truce, while the TPLF agreed to a “cessation of hostilities” if aid was allowed into the region.
The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced:
“WFP-led convoys to Tigray are back on the road & making steady progress! Just arrived in Erepti (in Afar) & will soon cross into Tigray, bringing in over 500 tonnes of urgently needed food and nutrition supplies for communities on the edge of starvation.”
TPLF Confirms Aid Trucks’ Arrival
According to the TPLF, 20 aid trucks entered areas under its control in Afar and were en route to Mekele, Tigray’s capital.
TPLF spokesman Getachew Reda welcomed the move but urged for sustained access:
“This is one good step in the right direction. The bottom line isn’t about how many trucks are allowed but whether there is a system in place to ensure unfettered humanitarian access for the needy.”
He added that the convoy might take hours to reach Mekele due to refueling stops.
Severe Hunger and Blockades
Tigray has not received aid by road since December 15. In January, the UN reported that nearly 40% of the region’s population faced “an extreme lack of food.”
Fuel shortages have forced aid workers to deliver medicine and supplies on foot, while local shortages of food, fuel, and cash have nearly halted operations since February.
The UN has described the situation as a “de facto blockade.” The US has accused Abiy’s government of obstructing aid, while Ethiopian authorities have blamed the TPLF for disruptions.
Demands from Both Sides
The government has urged Tigrayan forces to withdraw from Afar and Amhara, while the rebels have called on authorities to move beyond “empty promises” and take real steps to guarantee humanitarian access.
The conflict, which erupted in November 2020 when Abiy sent troops into Tigray, has killed thousands and displaced over 400,000 people. Both sides have been accused of atrocities, including massacres and mass rapes.
