The United Nations has set aside KSh387 million to provide emergency assistance to nearly 50,000 Ethiopians who have crossed into Kenya to escape fighting in southern Ethiopia.
The money will go towards providing food, clean water, shelter and medical services to families arriving in northern Kenya, where the growing number of refugees is putting pressure on local resources.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced the funding on Friday, November 6, saying it would be drawn from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).
Fletcher said the fighting between communities in southern Ethiopia had forced thousands of people to leave their homes and seek safety across the border.
The funding follows an appeal by UN agencies for KSh1.1 billion to help around 50,000 people within three months.
This appeal was a joint appeal from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), UNICEF, International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and World Food Programme (WFP).
Most of those fleeing across the border into Kenya have been taking refuge in Moyale Sub-County in Marsabit County.
As per the OCHA humanitarian update, the conditions in Moyale in Ethiopia remained highly insecure, and some of the people said that their houses and surroundings had been destroyed due to the violence.
The clash erupted on October 18 and turned into an armed conflict on October 22. Most of the people who have fled into Kenya are women and children.
The situation has also raised concern among Kenyan authorities following reports that the fighting has spilled over the border.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja visited Moyale on Thursday, November 5, and announced the deployment of additional officers to the area.
He directed security teams to remain alert and protect residents and their property as the government monitors developments across the border.
Two women, one Kenyan and one Ethiopian, were reportedly killed after stray bullets and rocket-propelled grenades landed on the Kenyan side. Several other people were injured.
The violence has also prompted a travel warning from the United Kingdom. On Friday evening, the UK advised its citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Moyale, cautioning that travel insurance could be affected if the advice was ignored.