New York, 15 January 2022 (TDI): With 2022, new prospects are open for developments, however along with developments, there is still an ongoing crisis that requires humanitarian assistance.

On the 12th of January, on this occasion, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCH) highlighted the latest humanitarian crisis situations around the world in a tweet.

Ethiopia

Northern Ethiopia continues to face issues related to a humanitarian crisis, which is creating problems for humanitarian assistance to reach within the area. Specifically, the fights within the areas of Abala, near the border of Tigray-Afar are severely affecting aid and assistance to Tigray.

Humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia
A map of Ethiopia

Since the 14th of December, there has been no aid transported to the affected region. Fuel trucks have been banned from entry to the region since the 2nd of August. There have been partners working within the urban regions near the area but are not allowed to travel to others regions.

The organizations that are already working on the provision of food within the region of Tigray lack the fuel that is needed to provide food equally. Without the provision of more fuel, such organizations warn that nutrition will completely come to a halt.

Moreover, the increased number of airstrikes within the region which has progressed further this yea,r has increased the number of casualties within the region. As a result of these airstrikes, the organization working for humanitarian assistance have temporarily stopped their actions in Tigray and in the North-West region of the country except for in Shire Town.

Even within some areas of Amhara, the rise of insecurity has resulted in a decrease in humanitarian operations. Regardless, the UN and other humanitarian organizations have managed to provide assistance and food to over 250,000 people from the 3rd to the 9th of January. Furthermore, more than 47,000 have duly, received emergency shelter along with non-food items within the last week.

Moreover, a few 100 displaced individuals are predicted to return home within the next 3 weeks, it is estimated, however, that they will need basic assistance and urgent shelter support. Within Afar, the response continues to provide 300,000 people with food assistance within the current distribution rounds.

Syria

It was reported that a Syrian aid worker was killed in the Al Hol Camp on the 11th of January, also the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. This killing was followed by an armed attack on the camp’s health facility.

The region of Al Hol consistently faces a grave decline as rule of law deteriorates and violence increases between residents, coupled with a variety of surprising attacks within the regions and the camps. However, this death was the first of its kind in 2022.

In the last year, reports were brought to the UN of murders amounting to a total of 89 from the country, all of which were deaths from camps of Iraqi and Syrian residents, amongst which humanitarian workers also lost their lives.

This increase in insecurity has resulted in a halt of the humanitarian organization’s work for two days as safety protocols are reviewed. This situation is alarming as Al Hol remains one of the largest humanitarian camps for the Syrian refugees as it reports holding 56,000 people out of which the majority are under the age of 18.

The UN (United Nations) Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syrian Crisis, Imran Riza, and the Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis had a meeting to review this situation, both condemned these incidents as well as the violence that was ongoing.

They expressed condolences to the friends, family, and colleagues of the victims on the behalf of the whole humanitarian community dealing with Syrian specifically. Furthermore, they called on the parties within the region to uphold peace so that assistance can be given within the region.

The civilians of Al Hol require dignified, durable, and informed solutions to the problems they face, while the United Nations continues to mobilize and deliver life-saving essentials within the region, their efforts can only hold if safety within the region is maintained.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)

The United Nations also continues to remain concerned for the humanitarian situation of the people of DPRK, ensuring that it remains in close contact with the officials of the region to investigate the standard of living of the people there.

Regardless of the lack of informational access from the region, as well as the challenges to delivering humanitarian assistance, the United Nations remains committed to understanding and assisting the situation of the people of this region.

There are ongoing plans for humanitarian assistance for the people in 2022 by the UN. All of these plans will fall within the guidelines of international law and the information provided by the UN officers who will return from the DPRK in 2022.

However, the UN has highlighted that a limited number of humanitarian aid has actually reached the region. The shipments from WHO (World Health Organization), UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) have already been shipped after a long wait time.

For the humanitarian aid to really take effect within the region, it is urged that international staff reach the DPRK so that implementation of the humanitarian and peace-building process can commence.

On unfunded Humanitarian Crises 

$150 million was extracted from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths.

This was done with the intention of increasing the amount of humanitarian aid for countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. This announcement occurred on the 13th of January was followed by the Global Humanitarian Overview, which predicted that a total of 274 million people will need humanitarian assistance, which is recorded as the highest level of people in need of humanitarian aid since the last few decades.

The United Nations has aimed for the year 2022, they reach 183 million with a cost of $41 billion at a minimum.

Where the CERF funding will go to
  • The Syrian Arab Republic will be allocated $25 million
  • The Republic of Sudan will receive $20 million
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo will be allocated $23 million
  • Humanitarian assistance operations within the regions of Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso will receive $10 million
  • Lebanon is allocated $10 million
  • Haiti $8 million
  • Madagascar will receive $12 million
  • Kenya will be allocated $6 million
  • Honduras will receive $5 million

Since the creation of CERF, the United Nations General Assembly, 130+ member states have made grave contributions to assist humanitarian operations. There have also been contributions from donors as well as private organizations and contributors, all of which have assisted millions.

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