It shares common borders with the State of Amhara in the east, the Sudan in the north-east, and the State of Oromia in the south. And as a result, the Nile delta becomes the second most susceptible place on earth to climate change impacts in terms of sea level rise," says Karim Elgendy, an associate fellow at the Chatham Institute think tank. driven curation of top business stories accross 12 industries in the region. Cite Ethiopia Insight and link to this page if republished. Read more: Most Gumuz members live in a bush-savanna lowland environment. Ethiopia may not have control over the behavior of Egypt and Sudan. 1986. The Gumuz (also spelled Gumaz and Gumz) are an ethnic group speaking a Nilo-Saharan language inhabiting the Benishangul-Gumuz Region in western Ethiopia, as well as the Fazogli region in Sudan. Getting people out of harms way and shielding them from serious protection risks also requires that their food needs are adequately addressed.. The Ethiopian Emperor Susenyos invaded the area in 1617/18, and it fell to the Funj Sultanate in 1685. The number of hungry people in the Sahel and West Africa hasquadrupledover the last three years, currently reaching41 million, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Friday. John Young, "Along Ethiopia's Western Frontier: Gambella and Benishangul in Transition". Material support, which has thus far been in short supply, should be accompanied by psychosocial support. Bambasi has a longitude and latitude of 945N 3444E with an elevation of 1668 meters above sea level. As many social institutions and homes are destroyed, things like infrastructure building and support for reconstructing homes need to be considered. In a statement on 1 May, the government of Sudan claimed Benishangul-Gumuz as potentially its territorya provocation which the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly condemned. Rashid Abdi on Twitter: "Until yesterday, 3,364 people from 62 "Folks have never actually went to war just because of water. In 2019, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said his country should be ready for a war with Egypt over the dispute. Benishangul Gumuz has an estimated area of 51,000 square kilometers and is located in the north-western part of Ethiopia. Studies in Gumuz: Sese phonology and TMA system. Sorghum is used for cooking porridge (nga) and brewing beer (kea). . The CSA of Ethiopia estimated in 2005 that farmers in Benishangul-Gumuz had a total of 307,820 head of cattle (representing 0.79% of Ethiopia's total cattle), 65,800 sheep (0.38%), 244,570 goats (1.88%), 1,770 mules (1.2%), 37,520 asses (1.5%), 732,270 poultry of all species (2.37%), and 166,130 beehives (3.82%). High-ranking officials including Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the area and discussed with representatives of the people in December 2020. Some of ethnic groups native to the Benishangul-Gumuz region are: Five of these ethnic groups (Berta, Gumuz, Shinasha, Mao and Kwama) are granted the exclusive right to non-territorially functioning indigenous councils. Now, we could be at the point in history where that changes," says Mohammed Mahmoud, a director of the Climate and Water Program at the Middle East Institute. It even considers that it is the only country entitled to the Nile waters, which Egypt totally rejects. As time passes, the Gumuz militias are strengthening their holdings and capacity, expanding and imposing their presence into Kamashi and Assosa zones. On April 19, Ahmed said that Ethiopia will fill the GERD reservoir in July and August, despite objections from the two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan. In, Wallmark, Peter. Tsega Etefa does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Metekkel zone is one of three zones in the Benishangul-Gumuz state. Ethiopia is now at a crossroads. James, Wendy. The Amhara state wants the right to administer Metekkel because it wants to control the zones mineral deposits and arable lands. There was resettlement of highlanders to their area, particularly linked to the availability of land and water. Returning the displaced people into their villages will bring durable solutions but should be carefully handled. Like other regions in Ethiopia, Benishangul-Gumuz is subdivided into administrative zones. More and more children below the age of five years are experiencinghigh levels of stunting and wasting, as they lack the nutrients to grow and develop., Families do not know where their next meal will come from and are taking on huge debt, selling off what they can, or sending their children to work, added the Regional Director. With its vast and fertile land, Benishangul-Gumuz was once looked at as a crucial development corridor of the country. Dessalegn Chanie, an Amhara opposition politician, said there had been signs in recent days that armed men from the Oromo and Gumuz ethnic groups were preparing an attack, particularly in areas where there was little federal security presence. By foregoing action to investigate crimes and ensure accountability, the signed agreement has also neglected the issue of justicea foundation of sustainable peace. Relatively low-lying but with an annual rainfall in excess of 1,000mm, this remote and poorly developed area . Over 80 killed in attack in Ethiopian border region with Sudan - state The Amhara claim should be handled through constitutional means; not by force. The most affected states are Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile, Lakes, Eastern Equatoria (Kapoeta East) and Warrap - more than 80 per cent of those food insecure. [5], Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the Benishangul-Gumuz Region has a total population of 784,345, consisting of 398,655 men and 385,690 women; urban inhabitants number 105,926 or 13.51% of the population. The region's capital is Assosa. The Benishangul-Gumuz conflict was an armed conflict mostly in the Metekel Zone of the Benishangul-Gumuz Region in Ethiopia that started in 2019, until peace agreement signed between the rebel groups and the government of Ethiopia in October 2022. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Main languages are the Berta (25.15%), Amharic (22.46%), Gumuz (20.59%), Oromo (17.69%), Shinasha (4.58%) and Awngi (4.01%). Despite some progress, the humanitarian response remains drastically inadequate compared to the sheer magnitude of needs across the region, the UNs Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OHCA) said in a report on Saturday. [13] Besides slaves, gold was traditionally an important export of Benishangul. "There'll be an imbalance in terms of less water supply and inflated demand," said Mahmoud. La Trib dei Gumus. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has provided scant information on recent violence in Benishangul-Gumuz, particularly in Metekel zone, where Debate is located. Tigray has been the theatre of fighting since early November, when Prime Minister Abiy announced military operations against the regions ruling Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) party, accusing them of attacking federal army camps. With national and international attention being pulled in many directionsmost notably towards war in Tigraythe problems of Benishangul-Gumuz are being eclipsed. Twelve people were killed. Alessandro Triulzi, "Trade, Islam, and the Mahdia in Northwestern Wallagg, Ethiopia". Selected aspects of Gumuz phonology. Sudan - The number of Ethiopian refugees in eastern Sudan - OCHA It needs to change. [14][20], Resistance to the Mengistu regime here came mainly from the Berta. Fighting broke out on 18 January in the town of Tongo - reportedly between unidentified armed groups and federal forces - and the nearby camp . All premium Industry Newsletters - Monitor the Middle East's most important industries. Advertisement . The hazardous intersection of thrice-rescheduled elections, the issue of a second filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), and emerging conflicts with regional neighbors make the countrys future increasingly unpredictable. Ethiopia: UNHCR rushing aid to 20,000 refugees fleeing clashes