Overview

Around 6.5 million people were newly displaced, almost twice as many as the 3.5 million during 2011. The conflicts in Syria and DRC were responsible for around half of the new displacements.

By Jennifer Brookland

Georgian authorities will resume responsibility for all disaster response packages in one year, according to a timeline agreed on by the U.S. State Department, Counterpart International and Georgia’s Emergency Management Department.

The pre-positioned packages, funded by the U.S. State Department and currently maintained by Counterpart, enable a quick and effective release of relief supplies in an emergency situation.

Summary:

On March 24th 2013, strong wind and storms affected the Eastern and Western parts of Georgia.

Since 25 March 2013, the UN Refugee Agency is providing its big tents and plastic sheeting to families affected by the heavy rains in Gori and Kopitnari. Following a request from the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia (MRA) and the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, the Representation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Georgia is helping victims of heavy rains and storm in Gori.

New and old conflict-affected countries, such as Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia, contributed to an increase in asylum applications during 2012.

*Map includes all USAID/OFDA DRR programs active in FY 2012

Link: Disaster RIsk Reduction – Europe, The Middle East, And Central Asiasia Fact Sheet #1, Fiscal Year (FY) 2012

Key messages

•Cereal harvest was good in 2012. The aggregate cereal output is estimated to be 7% higher than in 2011 and well over the last five year average. Prospects for winter grains are good. Government is taking a series of measures and launching different programmes to boost agriculture.

•Poverty incidence decreased in 2011 (9.2%) but remained much above 2007 level (6.4%). Very high income inequality is identified as one of the causes of widespread poverty in Georgia.

•Food prices slightly increased during the last quarter of 2012 (+0.6%).

Highlights

· In 2012, donors give $45 million in humanitarian aid to the Caucasus and Central Asia ($18 million in 2011)

· Drop in outgoing aid: in 2012, the region gave $1.5 million compared to $13 million in 2011

· Assistance from Azerbaijan makes up the bulk of the region’s outgoing aid in 2012

· Russia emerges as top donor to the region in 2012, while Tajikistan remains the region’s largest aid recipient