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Morning in the streets of Micha town

Morning rises in Micha town (Bale Zone, Oromia) in Ethiopia suffering drought. Dust and smoke fills the air, as night fires are dying out, lit by people who sleep on the streets.

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According to a recent UNICEF humanitarian situation report, an estimated 29.7 million people are in need of assistance in Ethiopia, 12.4 million of them children, and in addition to over 850,000 refugees, there are 4.5 million internally displaced people in the country,” the statement reads. Shockingly high levels of mortality among malnourished children are being reported.”

In addition, Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa region are experiencing one of the most severe droughts in the last 40 years following four consecutive failed rainy seasons, the statement notes. The prolonged drought threatens fragile livelihoods heavily reliant on livestock, and is deepening food insecurity and malnutrition,” reads the message.

The statement expresses solidarity and support to the WCC member churches in Ethiopia, and appeals to all members of the international community to ensure that humanitarian resources are provided and allocated commensurate with the scale of the emergencies in Ethiopia and all other crisis-affected countries including for people living with disabilities, and that attention is paid to the root causes of such crises, including especially promoting resolution of unresolved conflicts and fulfilling unmet commitments to climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

The statement further calls on all member churches, ecumenical partners and specialized ministries to respond to the needs of the people of Ethiopia and of other humanitarian crisis-affected countries in prayer and in action, including support for dialogue and peacebuilding.”

Read the full WCC Statement on the Humanitarian Situation in Ethiopia

WCC Central committee meeting, June 2022

Photos from the WCC central committee meeting, June 2022