Secretary-General, Concerned about Situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, Calls for Sustained, Impartial and Unimpeded Humanitarian Access

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

The Secretary-General remains seriously concerned over the situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.  He attaches strong importance to the partnership between the Government of Ethiopia and the United Nations, through its country team, in addressing the acute humanitarian needs of all affected populations.  He underlines the need for continued urgent steps to alleviate the humanitarian situation and extend the necessary protections to those at risk.

In this context, the Secretary-General welcomes the positive engagement of the Government of Ethiopia during recent visits by senior United Nations officials, including High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi, Under-Secretary-General for Security and Safety Gilles Michaud and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley.  These engagements are undertaken in line with the Secretary-General’s call to the Government for sustained, impartial and unimpeded humanitarian access to affected areas in the Tigray region and to internally displaced persons and refugee camps.