ETHIOPIA, August 6, 2021 – About 28.5 million people require humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia due to ongoing conflict in Tigray, Wollega, and Benishagul, desert locust invasion, natural disasters such as floods and droughts as well as the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the United Nations (UN), access to Tigray has already improved following the declaration of a unilateral ceasefire.

However, there are still challenges to speed up the delivery of humanitarian assistance due to a critical shortage of fuel, cash, and supplies.

Over 200 trucks that carried humanitarian aids were being stranded in Afar because the conflict has spilled over to Afar over the last two weeks.

All flights to Afar have been suspended.

About 69,000 people in the Afar region have been displaced and need to seek refuge in Semara and Logia.

To date, Islamic Relief Ethiopia has distributed food to 670 families and non-food items (NFI) aid including blankets, mosquito nets, plastic sheets, cooking sets, hygiene, and protection kits to 360 families in Yallow Woreda, Afar.

Islamic Relief planned to open an operational presence in Mekella to ensure the effectiveness of the assistance channeled to more than 18,000 people.

NIGERIA, August 3, 2021 – 4.4 million people in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobo in northeastern Nigeria are facing the threat of famine due to food insecurity.

Currently, 800,000 people are in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) level 4, while 12.2 million people across the country are in IPC level 3.

They are 300,000 children who are suffering from acute malnutrition.

The civil war has caused 1.75 million people to flee from their homes and stay at camps or host communities within Nigeria meanwhile tens of thousands more have been forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries.

Central Yobe, Northern Yobe, Northern Borno, and Eastern Borno were the most affected areas in Nigeria.

There are 81 percent Internal Displaced Person (IDPs) in Borno.

Food and nutrition insecurity is expected to rise over the incoming months and will lead to increased water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, and measles.

Apart from the famine issue, other things that need help and attention are the lack of a source of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection assistance, and gender-based violence (GBV).

Islamic Relief is currently initiating response activities for those affected in collaboration with humanitarian partners who are already implementing food aid programs in Nigeria in the upcoming days.

MADAGASCAR, August 3, 2021 – A total of 400,000 people in Madagascar are facing the threat of starvation as the region suffers its worst drought since 1981.

Their crops were destroyed by locust infestations which make their agricultural sector suffered huge losses.

Thousands of people have to eat unsafe foods such as locusts, cactus, leaves, and mud for survival.

According to the World Food Program (WFP), 1.14 million people are facing food insecurity.

Currently, 392,000 people are in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) level 4.

If this situation remains without any humanitarian response, this number could be double by October 2021.

Based on other analyses and observations, 484,000 people will be in IPC level 4 meanwhile IPC in level 5 will increase to 28,000 people.

Islamic Relief is currently initiating response activities by delivering food and livelihood aids to help those in need for the 3 to 6 months in collaboration with a humanitarian partner.

AFGHANISTAN, August 3, 2021 – At least 14 million people are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, and more than 9.5 million people are in Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) level 3.

The food crisis keeps getting worse due to ongoing forty years conflict, natural disasters such as drought and flood, high food prices, rampant unemployment, and COVID-19.

The conflict continues to cause severe bodily and psychological trauma. It was also left millions of people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance to survive and forces hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes each year.

Food storage and limited water access were increasing the prevalence of severe malnutrition.

By the end of 2021, the number of acutely food insecure people in Afghanistan could increase to almost 50% of the population.

Islamic Relief Afghanistan has identified the urgent needs for those affected such as food, livelihood support, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), shelter, and non-food items (NFI).

The humanitarian assistance planned will be implemented within 12 months for the most affected areas such as Kabul, Nangarhar, Balkh, Herat, Daykundi, and Faryab.

Islamic Relief will collaborate with other humanitarian partners and local authorities to ensure more than 210,000 people benefited from this program.