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UN evacuates staffers' dependents from Ethiopia

Other News Materials 24 November 2021 02:23 (UTC +04:00)
UN evacuates staffers' dependents from Ethiopia

The United Nations is evacuating the dependents of staff members from Ethiopia because of violence, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

"Given the security situation in the country, and out of an abundance of caution, the United Nations has decided to reduce its footprint in the country by temporarily relocating all eligible dependents," said Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

"We are looking at about probably a few hundred eligible dependents," he said.

However, Dujarric said that staff would remain in Ethiopia to carry out assignments.

"We will monitor the situation as it evolves, keeping in mind the safety of our staff and the need to continue to stand and deliver and to continue our operations and support all the people that need our assistance," he told a regular press briefing.

Northern Ethiopia has been wracked with hostilities since violence broke out a year ago in the northernmost Tigray region. It has since spread to Afar, to the east, and Amhara, to the south.

Dujarric has described the security situation in the area as "volatile and highly unpredictable."

Several members of the world body's national staff were detained in Addis Ababa by the government. More than 70 truck drivers under contract to carry humanitarian aid also were held.

All the drivers and some UN staff members were released last week. But one staff member and one dependent were detained on Friday, according to the spokesman. Five UN staffers and two dependents remained in custody by Friday.

Published reports said the government was detaining ethnic Tigrayans.

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