UAE airlifts 30 tonnes of food aid to Ethiopia's Tigray region

The UAE has sent a plane carrying 30 tonnes of food items to Mekele, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, as part of humanitarian efforts to airlift supplies to the Tigray people.

The assistance will benefit more than 7,000 people, including 5,600 women and children. It will support the growing needs of families, especially women and children, due to the current situation.

Mohamed Salem Al Rashidi, UAE Ambassador to Ethiopia, said: "The UAE is keen to support the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region, and to meet the needs of the population in light of food shortages," noting that these supplies align with the UAE's humanitarian approach, to provide emergency relief to countries and its peoples in need.

Last year, the UAE, in cooperation with the World Food Programme, sent 8 planes carrying 337 tonnes of relief and food items to Mekele to benefit more than 80,000 people, including 63,000 women and children. The assistance included 200 tonnes of vegetable oil. The region also received 18.5 tonnes of medical supplies, as part of global efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Abu Dhabi