UNITED NATIONS, United States, Feb 4, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Every member of the
UN Security Council called for increased aid during a closed-door meeting
Wednesday to discuss the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of
Ethiopia, according to diplomats.
The meeting had been requested by Ireland, Estonia, France, Norway, Britain
and the United States.
“Everyone said there should be more humanitarian access,” one diplomat said
under condition of anonymity, though no official statement was released after
the discussions.
There was never meant to be a declaration passed, according to the same
diplomat, though another said the idea was abandoned because African members
of the council had said they would refuse to vote for one, deeming it
unproductive.
Meetings on the situation in Tigray have been few and far between since the
Ethiopian military operation began in November, with African countries in
particular preferring to treat the conflict as a domestic matter.
But Western powers have argued that the influx of refugees into neighboring
Sudan was a humanitarian crisis requiring international intervention.
The Security Council also failed to produce a declaration after other
closed-door meetings on November 24 and December 14.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in mid-December announced two deals
with Ethiopian authorities that should have allowed access to the country.
But opportunities to deliver aid remain fragile, UN spokesman Stephane
Dujarric said Wednesday.
“Very little is being allowed in,” he said.
“What we need is to be able to just get in there in an unfettered manner
without having to, I guess, negotiate for every truck, for every box.”
“We work cooperatively with the government, and it’s their country … we
have to go through them, and that’s the way it should be,” Dujarric said.
“But there is a grave humanitarian need in Tigray, and at this point, we’re
not able to reach the people that need to be reached.”
High-level UN figures visited Ethiopia this week, including the high
commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi and UN undersecretary-general Gilles
Michaud — while a visit from World Food Program chief David Beasley is
expected in the coming days, according to diplomats — to try to gain access
to refugee camps.
Akshaya Kumar of the NGO Human Rights Watch said: “The Security Council
should hold a public session followed by a strong resolution demanding an end
to aid obstruction and immediate investigation of war crimes” in Ethiopia.