Ballot for the run-off local council elections started under normal conditions and no irregularities were reported," underscored on Sunday Secretary General of the Organisation for the Defence of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (ODDPH) Bouraouia Agrebi. The run-off local elections recorded the participation of 4 candidates through direct voting, Agrebi told TAP, pointing out that a total of 279 seats are reserved for people with disabilities. The ODDH has deployed 28 young people to collect data across the country and 197 observers to monitor the elections, he specified. Bouraouia Agrebi voiced wish that the turnout in the run-off local elections would increase, indicating that the organisation will hold a press conference on Sunday at 7 p.m. to present the results collected in the polling centres. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse Addis Ababa: The National Disaster Risk Management Commission criticized those who have been politicizing drought, stating that international organizations, the government and other stakeholders have confirmed in their assessment that what is happening in Ethiopia is a drought, not a famine. Disaster Risk Management Commission Commissioner, Shiferaw Teklemariam condemned the politicization of humanitarian aid and called on all actors to take a share in the humanitarian response in the country. The commissioner stressed the need for coordinated and well-funded response by pertinent international actors to prevent further deterioration. The government has rescued the lives of its citizens by allocating additional resources when humanitarian organization abruptly stopped their support without any notice, he stated, indicating the completion of sufficient preparations to further continue its support to the people in need. He emphasized that the responsibility in the federal government goes in line with how we are also organized noting that the government has been providing emergency humanitarian aid and coordinated responses to the problem. The commissioner further pointed out that studies and surveys conducted by international organizations and other stakeholders including FEWS-NET and the government itself, confirmed the fact that what is happening in Ethiopia is a drought, not a famine. Shiferaw also indicated that the UK Minister, who recently visited affected areas, has also confirmed the absence of famine-like conditions. He stated that the current situation does not meet the definition of famine. This stands in contrast to claims of impending catastrophe used for propaganda purposes. 'But, at the same time, there are intents of politicization and also intents of propaganda that would like to use the current humanitarian situation for something else, or is like if they feel as I said earlier, anyone who knows something is moving towards a famine direction, now they have to stop all other activities, all development activities or projects, all meetings, all unnecessary luxury type of things to reach out to the victims.' He further stated that all stakeholders at all levels of the government structure including regional states, communities and the private sector need to play their part. So using the gross assessment, he said pointing to the household economic analysis, also the displacement tracking metrics, village assessment survey, early warning and early action results and also any rapid onset type of disasters concluded for the year, 'the worst period will be during July-September, which is now equivalent to 10.8 million beneficiaries when we reach to that season. But as we speak now, for the January, February, March, the beneficiary numbers on 6.6' The government through the commission is now deploying a huge amount of resource to address the most neediest people. 'And that may go to the extent of 200 million US dollars in the last five, six months. And as I speak for the upcoming season, we are also investing close to 50 million USD. This is a substantial amount of contribution from the federal government to the regional states and from the 6.6 beneficiaries; 3.5 million beneficiaries are coming from Northern Ethiopia. And this is Tigray, Amhara region and Afar.' There are also challenges in Somali and Oromia regions as well as in other parts of the country, he added. 'Therefore, the response which we are doing at the federal level has to complement with the responses at the regional level as well.' While the federal government is playing its part, regional governments, communities, and the private sector all have a crucial role to play in addressing the drought. He stresses the need for everyone to contribute materially to support those in need. 'Now the call which we made through the media is everyone to do their own share properly, the partner to do their own share, the government will continue to dwell what it is doing, the regional states to do their level best again, and also make sure whatever resources we are getting into the regions is reaching the beneficiary without any misuse or misdirection or even people call it a diversion. So if that is taking place, if we are getting the resource that is being sent from the commission as properly as it is possible, because they are actually the ones who are handling those distribution.' Despite significant contributions from the government, 200 million USD in the past six months, the response is hampered by a lack of resources. The humanitarian appeal for USD 4 billion last year received only 33 percent funding, which was channeled through the UN agencies, he explained. 'In the response part the government was covering, like over 70 percent of the required humanitarian food assistance. And now it's only after December, January, February that our partner now trying to pick up even then the resource base, what you call the humanitarian resource contribution has been declining all the time. For example, last year, the humanitarian requirements plan was for about 4 billion USD, out of it, we received only 1.3 billion, which also is not coming to us which goes to all kinds of UN partners to do their job. And it was only 33 percent.' Shiferaw emphasizes the importance of ensuring aid reaches intended beneficiaries and condemns any misuse or diversion of resources. Robust monitoring mechanisms are in place to track aid distribution. The government has pre-positioned 50,000 tons of food for distribution in the coming months and is working with partners like USAID and the World Food Program to expand assistance. He stressed the need for a coordinated and well-funded response with a view to preventing further deterioration of the situation. Source: Ethiopian News Agency