WHO boss says unable to send money to ‘starving’ relatives in Ethiopia

The World Health Organization (WHO) boss, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, has lamented being unable to send money to his “starving” relatives in Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray region.

“I have many relatives there. I want to send them money. I cannot send them money,” he said in a press conference.

“I don’t know even who is dead or who is alive,” he continued.

Since the war began in 2020, the region has been cut off from the outside world, with no phone or internet.

Ethiopia’s government has been accused of imposing an aid blockade on the region which impeded crucial deliveries – something it blamed on the fighting.

Tens of thousands of civilians have died and millions are in urgent need of food aid. The World Food Programme says that almost half of Tigray’s 5.5m population are in “severe” need of food.

Fighting resumed this week after months of calm following the humanitarian truce agreed in March between Tigrayan forces and the Ethiopian government.

Photo – Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). EPA-EFE/SALVATORE DI NOLFI

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