Recently, National Disaster Risk Management Commission of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia has condemned misuse of aids. In the strongest possible terms, it states, “Allegations or diversion must be investigated.
The Ethiopian government has a track record of holding those found responsible for abuse accountable. It is working with the regional authorities to ensure accountability.” The commission further stated that the way forward is continuing taking resolute actions to ensure accountability and safe provision of the humanitarian aids to the needy.
Indeed the commission has taken a conscious and proper measure; indisputably, the humanitarian aids have to properly reach the target beneficiaries. Making sure the safe and proper delivery is the role of the government through establishing continues supervision and evaluation schemes.
Any allegation or diversion must be investigated and then accountability should be set. Thus, the recent stance of the government to investigate and make responsible any concerned body is a right decision. The result would be the answer to the request of the aid agencies.
Appropriately, the Ethiopian government has been taking helpful measures following the Pretoria Peace Agreement; as a result of these measures, progressive changes that have produced splendid fruits have become very evident. The government has been living up to the terms of the Pretoria Agreement. Besides providing the basic social services, rehabilitating the damaged properties and infrastructure has got due attention. Besides providing the humanitarian aid, the basic services like telecom, bank services were well reestablished.
Confidently, as the government began implementing the peace agreement, the entire northern part of the country has come back to normalcy. The reconstruction, restoration and rehabilitation activities in war-ravaged regions have been accomplished well. The recurrent conflicts have been replaced by sustainable peace and the community has embarked on the development activities.
Optimistically, peacefulness took the place of hostility; the awful situation changed into wonderful circumstances. The government has thus exerted all possible efforts to rehabilitate the community, restore essential social services, like schools, health institutions, including power and communication lines. All these awesome progresses have become evident that Ethiopia can handle its internal situations effectively; implying that African solution for African problem is amicable.
Nevertheless, it’s unfortunate to learn the suspension of the aid by the humanitarian agencies. Last month, Administrator Samantha Power said, “We have made the difficult decision to pause all USAID-supported food assistance in the Tigray region until further notice.” As the Ethiopian government is working to identify those responsible and hold them accountable, pausing the assistance can rarely be a solution.
This temporary pause inevitably hurt the target beneficiaries. We believe that the United States should remain to be Ethiopia’s development partner as its irreplaceable support would currently meet growing demands of thousands of Ethiopians. As the post-war rehabilitation activities demands great deal of resources, the recent decision of the USAID and UN World Food Programme (WFP) to temporary pause the aid will impede nation’s effort to rehabilitate, restore and reconstruct the regions.
In sum, the Ethiopian government will continue supervising the aid management with high responsibility and accountability. It will also continue working with humanitarian agencies including the USAID’s Office. Hence, realizing Ethiopia’s commitment to facilitate circumstances for the humanitarian organizations, the WFP and the USAID ought to restart paused food assistance. Concurrently, the government should continue making certain that the assistance will reach the intended target beneficiaries through ensuring accountability and transparency.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 3 JUNE 2023
