A civil conflict in Ethiopia in 2018 caused over one million people to flee their homes. A partner of the Ministry was involved in the efforts to assist the internally displaced people in Gedeo and West Guji, and discovered that Government beneficiary lists were systematically excluding one particular ethnic group. QUOTE 0 n December 2016, a partner of the Ministry was actively involved in the evacuation of some 35 000 people from Eastern Aleppo to neighbouring rural areas. The operation took several weeks, was approved by the parties to the conflict, and entailed facilitating logistics and the physical accompaniment of the convoys. QUOTE 0 The operation was later criticised for not complying with the principle of neutrality, because it helped to implement a political deal between parties to the conflict, where one side was clearly losing the battle. However, the humanitarian partner saw the evacuation as vital for ensuring the safety of the population.