Ethiopia – Aside from limited funds and donations, ongoing violence and insecurity in the Amhara region are disrupting the World Food Programme’s (WFP) humanitarian operations, threatening the organization’s ability to reach over half a million vulnerable people. This latest crisis highlights the complex and compounding nature of climate security the intersection between climate change, conflict, and humanitarian access in Ethiopia and the broader Horn of Africa.
The link between climate and security is no longer theoretical. In Ethiopia, it is playing out in real-time, as surges in armed violence, environmental shocks, and resource scarcity converge, intensifying the scale of human suffering. More than 10 million people across the country are currently facing hunger and malnutrition, a staggering figure that includes at least three million people who have been forced from their homes due to conflict and climate-related disasters.
Families who have lost their livestock, exhausted their savings, and depleted their coping mechanisms are once again on the brink. The possibility of a new drought is more than a meteorological concern; it is a security threat with the power to displace communities, spark competition over dwindling resources, and strain fragile peace efforts.
In Amhara, the security situation has deteriorated sharply. Criminal activities such as car hijackings, direct threats to humanitarian personnel, and theft have surged, forcing WFP and other humanitarian actors to reassess their operations. These threats are not only endangering the lives of aid workers but are also jeopardizing the delivery of life-saving assistance to people already pushed to the margins by hunger and hardship.
“We are deeply concerned about the safety of our teams and the communities we serve,” said a representative from WFP. “Violence and insecurity are making it increasingly difficult to deliver food and nutrition support to those who need it the most.”
In a distressing development, WFP announced that it will be forced to halt treatment for 650,000 malnourished women and children in May due to a severe lack of funding. This represents a major setback in WFP’s 2025 Anticipatory Action plan to reach two million mothers and children with life-saving nutrition assistance. The knock-on effects of these cuts are immense not only increasing the risk of preventable deaths but also undermining long-term development and stability.
Despite the generosity of many governments and private donors, WFP still faces a funding shortfall of US$222 million between April and September 2025. This financial gap is not just a budgeting issue it represents a critical barrier to saving lives and stabilizing communities in a time of overlapping emergencies.
Ethiopia’s current crisis should serve as a global wake-up call. It is a textbook example of how climate insecurity undermines humanitarian work and threatens sustainable peace. Environmental stresses particularly recurrent droughts and erratic rainfall act as a “threat multiplier,” exacerbating existing tensions over land, water, and resources. These tensions can and often do spill over into violence, further complicating the ability of aid agencies to respond and of governments to govern effectively.
Climate-related disasters not only destroy crops and livelihoods but also erode trust in institutions when recovery efforts fall short. In areas where governance is weak and access is contested, such as parts of Amhara and Somali regions, the fallout from environmental shocks is often absorbed by already vulnerable populations. When conflict and climate intersect, the result is a self-perpetuating cycle of displacement, food insecurity, and instability.
There is a growing recognition within international policy circles that addressing climate security requires a holistic approach. This means not only responding to immediate humanitarian needs but also investing in long-term solutions that build resilience. Early warning systems, climate-smart agriculture, peacebuilding initiatives, and community-led adaptation strategies must be integrated into development and security planning.
The case of Ethiopia also underscores the need for robust international support not just in the form of emergency aid but also in diplomacy, funding, and technical assistance to stabilize regions at the frontline of climate insecurity. Without sustained and flexible financing, humanitarian agencies like WFP cannot adapt to fast-changing conditions on the ground or maintain continuity in their operations.
As the world prepares for high-level climate and security dialogues in upcoming global forums such as COP 30 and UNGA, Ethiopia’s crisis must be high on the agenda. Its situation exemplifies the dangers of failing to adequately prepare for and respond to the growing overlap between climate extremes and conflict.
Ultimately, what is at stake is not just food security but human dignity, peace, and the future of a generation. The faces of this crisis are mothers skipping meals so their children can eat, aid workers risking their lives to deliver food, and displaced families sleeping under makeshift shelters, wondering where their next meal will come from.
The international community cannot afford to look away. To do so would be to abandon not only the people of Ethiopia but also the principle that global solidarity is most meaningful in times of profound need. Climate security is not a distant threat — it is happening now, and the time to act is today.
