Commissioner Neven Mimica took part as a key speaker at the High Level Event on the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia organised on the occasion of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on 29 January 2017.
The event was co-chaired by Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr Antonio Guterres, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr Demeke Mekonnen.
Refuge for hundreds of thousands
Commissioner Mimica said:
"Ethiopia has become a place of refuge for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing problems at home. We commend its open door policy despite the strains placed on Ethiopian hosting communities".
"The country also faces the challenge of climate change. Many millions of Ethiopians are suffering due to the current droughts and are in urgent need of food assistance. These are immense challenges that no community and no country can, or should, face alone".
"The governments of the Horn of Africa, and of the international community, must work better together. Unless we redouble and refocus our efforts, these problems will continue to place unacceptable burdens on the people and countries of this region."
Worst drought in five decades
In 2015-2016 Ethiopia was hit by the worst drought of the past five decades. This El Niño-induced drought affected more than 10 million people and tripled humanitarian needs within a year.
Together with the Government of Ethiopia, international partners organised a monumental response to meet the needs of drought-affected communities.
In 2016, the European Union mobilised over €168.3 million for Ethiopia in response to El Niño and other humanitarian priorities.
On the occasion of the African Union summit, Commissioner Mimica also met bilaterally with several African leaders.
