Summary and implications

National food security conditions remain favorable. Prices have decreased to average levels from the high prices of the last season, enabling access to food by poor market-dependent households. However, poor households in Kagera Region continue facing food insecurity due to decreased banana and cassava production, high local maize prices and high transportation costs.

The wind was reported to be blowing at 45 km per hour.

The statement predicted that there would be mild rainfalls accompanied by winds in many parts of the country. But people in the coastal and northern regions of the country were still warned of heavy rains and strong winds.

TMA earlier warned Tanzanians to prepare

Update on Burundians Expelled from Tanzania: On 21st December, WFP, OCHA, Burundian Red Cross Society and the Governmental project for reintegration of war-affected persons (PARESI) met to discuss improvement of food aid distribution to expelled Burundians at Kinazi transit site and harmonization of statistics. From 11 to 22 December, PARESI reported 975 persons registered at Kinazi transit site. Since May till 26 December 2006, PARESI registered a total of 5,847 persons expelled from Tanzania.

Food security: Further to torrential

Ituri

Le désarmement des miliciens des Forces de Résistance Patriotique en Ituri (FRPI) tarde à se concrétiser. Son leader, Cobra Matata, qui avait promis d'amener depuis le mercredi 20 décembre près de 200 combattants aux points de désarmement d'Aveba, Kagaba, etc., ne semble pas avoir tenu parole, alors qu'il avait bel et bien reçu la somme de 5.000 dollars pour la sensibilisation de ses hommes. Plusieurs facteurs semblent bloquer le processus du Désarmement, Démobilisation et Réinsertion (DDR) en Ituri, notamment la peur des chefs de milices d'être

In 2006, both The world health report and World Health Day focused on health workers. The creation by WHO and other partners of the Global Health Workforce Alliance and the adoption by the World Health Assembly of resolutions calling for a response to this crisis have paved the way towards better recognition for the vital role health workers play within health systems. There are currently 57 countries with critical shortages of health workers which prevent them from delivering

Greater Horn of Africa Outlook

The four month lead in the Greater Horn shows a slight tilt in the odds towards above normal precipitation in northern Somalia and nearby portions of Djibouti and Ethiopia. Certain parts of western Sudan have a slight tilt in the odds towards below normal precipitation. This area is near, although not part of, West Darfur.

Further south there is a slight tilt in the odds favoring above normal precipitation in part of southern Somalia and across central and southern Tanzania.

DAR ES SALAAM, 18 December (IRIN) - Health authorities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania's commercial capital, have started distributing chlorine to purify water in wells, in a bid to control cholera, which continues to wreak havoc in the city.

"The chemical has been distributed to all three municipalities of Dar es Salaam and should be applied in wells three times a day," Deogratius Mutasiwa, the Dar es Salaam City Medical Officer, told IRIN.

He said chlorine had no side effects;

The Federation's vision is to strive, through voluntary action, for a world of empowered communities, better able to address human suffering and crises with hope, respect for dignity and a concern for equity. Its mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 185 countries.

In Brief

Period covered: 21 July to 30 November 2006

Appeal target: CHF 7,325,000 (USD 5,955,000 or EUR 4,665,000).

Appeal coverage: 17.6%