(DW) – The EU is withholding millions of euros in budget support to Ethiopia because of the Tigray conflict. Humanitarian organizations are increasingly worried about living conditions for the survivors of the conflict.
Brussels is withholding nearly 90 million euros ($109 million) in budget support payments due before the end of the year to Ethiopia because of the conflict in the northern Tigray region.
An EU spokesperson confirmed to DW that under the current circumstances, the EU is not in a position to deliver budget support as foreseen. “We need to see certain conditions fulfilled by the Government of Ethiopia for EU Budget Support to resume,” the EU spokesperson said in a statement.
Some of the conditions include: Granting full humanitarian access for relief workers, access for civilians seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, an end to ethnically targeted measures and hate speech, and restoring communication lines and media access in the Tigray region.
The decision to postpone the funding does not affect EU humanitarian programmes on the ground or other development actions, which will continue to be implemented, the EU spokesperson said.
Tigray cut off from rest of Ethiopia.
