The first nongovernmental aid convoy since fighting started arrived in the capital of Ethiopia's northern Tigray region on Saturday, as the government ordered businesses to reopen and officials to return to work.

Speaking to journalists, Redwan Hussein, spokesman of a newly-established State of Emergency Task Force for the Tigray conflict, said on November 16, a high-Level committee that aims to effectively respond to humanitarian concerns in Tigray regional state has been established. Photo: VCG

The federal government restricted access to Tigray after fighting began on November 4 between its troops and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), a political party that ruled the province. So far the conflict in Africa's second-most populous nation is believed to have killed thousands of people and displaced around 950,000. But the tempo of fighting seems to have slowed since the government announced the capture of the regional capital Mekelle in late November, although information is hard to verify due to the restrictions.

Phone and internet connections are gradually being restored, but most of the region remains unreachable for journalists and outside aid agencies. 

The convoy of seven white trucks that arrived in Mekelle was organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Ethiopian Red Cross, the ICRC said.

"Doctors and nurses have been... weeks without new supplies, running water, and electricity," said Patrick Youssef, the ICRC's regional director for Africa. "This medical shipment will inject new stocks, help patients, and reduce those impossible life-or-death triage decisions."

The government says it has defeated TPLF forces, and struck a deal with the United Nations to allow aid.But some aid agencies and donors say the agreement is too restrictive and security remains a problem; one UN security team was shot at on December 6.

The government says Tigray is returning to normal, despite the continuing restrictions. The federally appointed provisional administration for Tigray, intended to replace the TPLF, said it would take office on Sunday and urged local government workers to resume jobs on Monday.

"Peace and stability has been established in most of the towns in the region, including Mekelle. Businesses must return to normal from tomorrow," the state news agency quoted Mulu Nega, head of the interim authority, as saying.

Government workers who were absent would be fired, he said, and gun owners must surrender their weapons to security forces by Tuesday.

Nearly 50,000 refugees, mostly Tigrayans, have crossed into eastern Sudan since early November.
Newspaper headline: First NGO aid gets to Tigray; businesses to reopen