Speaker: Jan-Christoph OETJEN (Germany — Freie Demokratische Partei)
Political group: Renew Europe Group
Date: 2021-02-11
Debate: Humanitarian situation in Ethiopia (debate)

  Jan-Christoph Oetjen,  on behalf of the Renew Group. – Madam President, what we are seeing unfold in Tigray is a terrible humanitarian crisis. The numbers are staggering.
There are 4.5 million persons in need of humanitarian assistance, ten thousands are at severe risk of starvation, hundreds of thousands of refugees are caught in the crossfire. Fifty-eight thousand refugees have fled to nearby Sudan, and there are reports of atrocities against thousands of civilians. After three months, Ethiopia ended its military operation but the aftershock will be felt for years to come, and not only in Ethiopia.
Already before the military skirmish, Tigray was a host region to hundreds of thousands of refugees, spread over four camps, with millions who were already in need of humanitarian assistance, as already mentioned by the Commissioner, and this conflict has only exacerbated the situation.
Already before the military skirmish, the Horn of Africa was known as a delicate region, now this conflict risks spilling over into neighbouring countries and destabilising the entire region. The exact numbers of those in humanitarian need remain difficult to predict, because promises to restore communications have not been fully met. Humanitarian aid workers and organisations are still denied access to Tigray, cutting off millions from aid. Unverified reports of atrocities and impunity are rampant, and there are conflict reports of foreign interference by Eritrean troops.
Action is needed immediately. Now that millions more require humanitarian assistance, the international community and the federal government must urgently find a peaceful end to this conflict and step up their commitment to the responsibility to protect the most vulnerable.
Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations by Prime Minister Abiy was an important first step but, however, key humanitarian aid organisations are still being barred from entering the region, especially in areas of conflict. And I reiterate what has been just said by the Commissioner: they have to access those people in order to help directly and not only through the Ethiopian authorities. It’s exactly in these regions that humanitarian aid is needed the most.
The federal government must now stick to its commitments. First, accelerate creating unconditional and unhindered access for humanitarian aid workers. Second, establish secure humanitarian corridors. And thirdly, work with humanitarian aid organisations to establish a clear estimate of who is in need of aid.
I think that the decision of the Commission to allocate EUR 70 million to the Sudanese Government is a good decision because this helps in this difficult situation. But I agree with the Commissioner that more improvement is needed.
Meine Damen und Herren, die Lage in Äthiopien spitzt sich zu, und ich glaube, dass jetzt der Zeitpunkt gekommen ist, dass wir die äthiopische Regierung aufrufen, dass wir den Hilfsorganisationen direkten Zugang in der Region geben. Denn die Menschen dort in der Region können nicht alleine von der äthiopischen Regierung unterstützt werden, sondern sie brauchen die internationale Hilfe, die Hilfe der Gemeinschaft. 
Ich bin stolz darauf, dass die Europäische Union hier nicht nur eine starke Sprache verwendet, sondern an dieser Stelle auch Geld in die Hand nimmt, um zu helfen. Ich glaube, dass diese Hilfe angebracht ist, denn wir haben schon viel zu lange zugesehen und die äthiopische Regierung machen lassen.
Es ist jetzt Zeit, nicht länger nur zuzusehen, sondern eine klare Sprache im Dialog anzuschlagen und dafür zu sorgen, dass die humanitäre Krise sich nicht weiter ausbreitet, sondern eingedämmt werden kann.