Egyptian aircraft carrying consignment of humanitarian assistance arrives

23 August 2006

ADDIS ABABA (EH/ENA) - An Egyptian aircraft carrying a consignment of humanitarian assistance arrived here yesterday night at Bole International Airport.

According to a press release made available by the Egyptian Embassy on the occasion, the assistance provided by the Egyptian government consists of 4 tons of different types of medicine such as anti malaria tablets, anti-diarrhea, anti-biotics, cholera vaccines, cough syrups, and drought treatment solutions, 7 tons of children mild, 1.25 Tons of medical supplies like syringe, chlorine tablets and bandages, 2 tons of tents, 2.5 tons of blankets, 1 ton of canned food and 10 barrels of detergents.

After handing over the assistance to representatives of the Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency and the Ethiopian Red Cross Society Embassy Charge d’Affairs Maher El-Adawy said that the assistance is given to the Ethiopian government to contribute towards alleviating the suffering of the brotherly people of Ethiopia who were hit by the latest floods.

He also said that Egypt has reacted to the problem because it is always keen to help the Ethiopian people adding that if the government of Ethiopia requests for additional assistance, after studying the magnitude of the problem Egypt is ready to send a second consignment.

The charge d’affairs also said that the assistance was sent based on the assessment of the Egyptian side.

Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency Public Relations and Fundraising Head Getachew Tesfaye on his part said that the assistance is of paramount importance and it is a sign of the brotherly relation between the two people.

He also indicated that additional medicine, mosquito prevention bed nets and food items are needed to help the flood victims.

The consignment of the humanitarian assistance is estimated to be 7 million Ethiopian birr.

Similarly, Dawn of Hope, the national association of people living with HIV/AIDS, handed over 10,500 birr to the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency.

The association said the money was contributed by Nazareth, Awassa, Harar, Addis Ababa and Shashemene branches, including the national association.

ActionAid Ethiopia announced that it has also decided to donate food items and plastic sheets worth of over 213,000 birr in support of flood victims.

In press release sent to the ENA yesterday, ActionAid said it has decided to provide 500 quintals of wheat flour, three quintals of high energy food and 10 rolls of plastic sheet through the structures formed for the purpose in Omorate, Dasenech Woreda.

Meanwhile, a UK based ActionAid supporter, Mr. G. Vaughan donated 32,000 birr, while employees of ActionAid Ethiopia have decided to contribute 25,000 birr in support of the Dire Dawa flood victims.

The release also recalled that ActionAid donated food items worth 500,000 birr for Dire Dawa based on its assessment of the situation on the spot.

Action Aid Ethiopia has also expressed its commitment to be part of future rehabilitation and development efforts to mitigate the impact of the epidemic and prevent such calamities.

Meanwhile, the Afar State disaster prevention and food security office said it has been distributing relief food to 2,200 people displaced by the overflow of the Awash river in Dulecha Woreda.

Early warning and aid programmes department head, Tamerat Mengistu told ENA yesterday that 330 quintals of wheat, 13 quintals of grains and 11 quintals of edible oil provided by the federal disaster prevention and preparedness agency have been distributed among the victims.

According to Temirat the aid is distributed to 4,000 people stranded by the flood and to the displaced .

With a view to preventing further damage, the state water works construction and rural roads authorities are undertaking prevention works, he added.

A coordinating committee drawn from states administration, health, and agriculture offices are supplying aid to the victims and doing monitoring job.

Similarly, some residents of Addis Ababa called on the government, the public and non-governmental organizations to further strengthen their assistance to the flood victims.

The residents approached by ENA Monday expressed their heart-felt condolences over the loss of lives and property damage and the displacement of thousand as a result of the flood.

Renowned vocalist, Teshome Wolde said advocated committee formed to solicit donations, so that the survivors would rehabilitated in a sustainable manner.

The support provided so far is not sufficient compared to the magnitude of the disaster, he added.

The public should continue providing assistances as the issue could not be addressed by the government alone, he said.

Abera Arega, a civil servant, said that the public should do what ever is possible to assist the survivors, and the governments effort in assisting the victims so far.

Non-governmental organizations should also participate actively in rehabilitating the displaced, Abera said.

Almaz Agonafer, on her part said the government should allocate budget and coordinate other bodies to rehabilitate the victims.

The Diaspora as well as NGOs should also enhance the assistances to the victims, she said.

Executive members of the Gamo-Gofa branch of United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) also expressed sadness over the loss of life and property damaged casued by the overflow of the Omo river.

In a statement sent to ENA yesterday the members conveyed condolences for those who lost families by the accident.

They also expressed readiness to contribute their share in the effort of rehabilitating the victims.

by Mekonnen Teshome