Ethiopia — humanitarian situation

Ethiopia faces a complex humanitarian crisis driven by sustained armed conflict, climate-induced shocks, and worsening food insecurity. Security incidents persist across multiple regions, with Amhara experiencing particularly volatile conditions. In July 2026, the Protection Cluster documented 55 security incidents in Amhara, including abductions, shootings, and illegal taxation affecting both civilians and humanitarian workers (Protection Cluster, UNHCR). Western Oromia continues to experience armed violence, while inter-ethnic and inter-clan clashes in Somali, Southern Ethiopia, and along regional boundaries have resulted in civilian casualties and displacement. These localized conflicts are reportedly driven by resource competition, boundary disputes, and weak conflict resolution mechanisms. Displacement events documented earlier in 2026 include 13,206 individuals fleeing from Abargele zone to Sekota Town due to continued conflict, and over 4,000 individuals displaced from Jawi Woreda to Mandura Woreda in Benishangul-Gumalo region (Protection Cluster, UNHCR). The humanitarian situation is compounded by severe climate stresses. Rainfall deficits persisted from May through July 2026 across northern Ethiopia, contributing to widespread soil moisture deficits and vegetation stress IGAD. A very strong El Niño event is forecast for the October-December rainy season, potentially amplified by a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, with expectations of both continuing drought conditions and severe flooding risks OCHA. These climate shocks are eroding agricultural productivity and household resilience in a context where 48.5 million people across Eastern Africa require humanitarian assistance and over 40 million face acute food insecurity OCHA. Ethiopia's food systems have been weakened by recurrent droughts, floods, erratic rainfall, and land degradation FAO. Access constraints severely limit humanitarian operations. Armed groups in Amhara reportedly seized two humanitarian vehicles in late May, and the Debark-Gondar road remains unsafe for travel (Protection Cluster, UNHCR). The IRC has launched a new education initiative targeting over 150,000 out-of-school children in conflict-affected Amhara and Tigray regions, where conflict and poverty constitute the primary barriers to education access IRC. Migration dynamics remain active, with IOM documenting 38,574 movements across six border monitoring points in January 2026, predominantly outgoing movements totaling 22,528 individuals IOM.