Residents in the Benishangul-Gumuz and Oromia regions are enduring severe social and economic hardships due to the prolonged closure of the main road connecting the two areas, a situation exacerbated by persistent security concerns. Menahl Imiran, a member of the House of Peoples' Representatives representing District Two in Assosa town, brought these critical issues to light during a discussion with her constituents. She highlighted that the road has been impassable for several years, leading to widespread suffering for the local inhabitants.

The security problems have halted transportation services, exerting immense social and economic pressure on the residents of both regions. Local media reports corroborate these difficulties, noting that public transport between Assosa and the capital, Addis Abeba, has been suspended for the past seven years. This forces individuals to rely on significantly more expensive air travel for essential matters, a luxury only accessible to those who can afford it. Furthermore, the inability of vehicles to transport vital goods, such as grain from central Ethiopia, has led to severe commodity shortages and subsequent price hikes in the affected areas, deeply impacting daily life and the local economy.

Beyond transportation and economic woes, the region faces a critical healthcare crisis. Menahl Imiran underscored the urgent need for a referral hospital at the regional level, as the current lack of such a facility compels residents to travel to neighboring regions or even as far as Addis Ababa for specialized medical treatment, incurring substantial costs. The situation is dire for referred patients from Assosa Hospital, who, despite needing advanced care, are often unable to undertake these journeys due to the road closures. Residents reported that referred patients, in the absence of public transport, are forced to pay exorbitant amounts, up to 25,000 birr, solely for a round-trip plane ticket to Addis Ababa, further worsening their health conditions.

The underlying cause of these pervasive issues is the escalating armed conflict in the bordering areas of the Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz regions. Recent months have seen a significant intensification of this conflict, which the European Commission's Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) and its partners attribute to political and ethnic divisions. This violence has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 11,000 people in recent days, according to a DG ECHO situation report, indicating that the conflict continues to escalate along the regional border and compound the suffering of the affected populations.