1. Executive Summary
After fourteen years of state collapse and widespread civil war, Somalia's population of seven million faced renewed hope when the transitional parliament was formed in June 2004 and an interim President, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, was subsequently elected in October 2004. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) returned to Somalia in June 2005, but critical issues that would reflect political progress, linked to security, the interim seat of government and national reconciliation remained unresolved. Although the expectation was that the TFG was 'a new dawn' for the war-ravaged country, the outcome has been complex, with accompanying peace and stability still some way off. Even though the challenges are considerable, there remains no doubt that Somalia is at a crossroads as the TFG strives to gradually expand its authority throughout the country.

The environment for aid operations and beneficiaries remained varied in 2005, with some areas including Somaliland and Puntland experiencing political development, economic recovery and relative stability, while other areas, mostly in the central and south regions remaining dangerous and unstable. As the TFG works towards building peace and improving security, it is envisaged that the wave of 'optimism' amongst the majority of the Somali population, many of whom are tired of conflict, may lead to increased humanitarian access in the central and south zones of Somalia, where limited assistance was reaching vulnerable populations in 2005.

Chronic food insecurity and unacceptably high malnutrition levels persist in many areas, especially in the south. Such high malnutrition rates would trigger massive external emergency actions anywhere else in the world. Currently, 25% of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, a rate that exceeds the emergency threshold of 15%. In parts of Gedo and Juba regions malnutrition rates are above 20%. The south-central region remains a complex environment, with lack of sustained humanitarian access a major factor affecting human survival.

The 2006 Somalia Consolidated Appeal Process (CAO) seeks to target one million chronically vulnerable people, including 370,000-400,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) suffering severe livelihood distress; 200,000 people in a Humanitarian Emergency and 345,000 in a Livelihood Crisis. Returnees are amongst those experiencing severe livelihood distress.

In 2006, United Nations (UN) agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) intend to work closely with local authorities and communities, as outlined in the Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP), toward the following three strategic goals:

1. Increase access to basic humanitarian services for vulnerable populations, in particular the one million people in a state of Humanitarian Emergency and Livelihood Crisis, IDPs and those living in areas of return and resettlement;

2. Enhance the protection of and respect for the human rights and dignity of affected populations;

3. Strengthen local capacity for social service delivery and response to natural or conflict-related disaster.

The strategic goals have shifted this year, placing more emphasis on humanitarian priorities, while maintaining links to the Joint Needs Assessment (JNA), which should lead to a donor conference in 2006, and the UN Transition Plan. The JNA will result in a Reconstruction and Development Programme, which will feed into the strategy to reach Millennium Development Goals. At the same time and in the absence of a multi donor trust fund, the UN has set up the Interim Support Fund For Somalia (ISFS), to address the country's transitional needs.

The 2006 Consolidated Appeal for Somalia seeks US$ 174,116,815 for 77 projects in the five sectors of Access and Security; Food Security and Livelihoods; Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation; Education; Protection and the three cross cutting sectors of Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immuno-deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS); Return and Integration; and Capacity Building. Generous contributions from the international donor community will assist the UN and partner NGOs to ensure coherence of response and an integrated approach in meeting the needs and building the capacity of Somalia's most vulnerable communities.

2. 2005 in Review

The strategic priorities for 2005 were set against a challenging environment within Somalia. Transitional Federal Institutions (TFI) were created in August 2004 but were forced to remain in exile in Kenya until June 2005. Meanwhile, most parts of central and southern Somalia continued to be characterised by sporadic armed conflict, widespread human rights abuses, lack of economic recovery, endemic humanitarian needs, minimal health care and education and population displacement. Against this backdrop of unpredictability, UN agencies, NGOs and partners focused to the greatest extent possible on meeting the needs of the most vulnerable IDPs, returnees and minority groups and delivering humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance to them through a mix of programmatic approaches.

In contrast, the northern regions of Somalia moved closer to political, economic and social reconstruction. In Somaliland, the holding of peaceful multi-party elections in September marked a milestone in the region's process of democratisation (but elections were not held in the contested area of Sool and Sanaag). The degree of peace and stability obtained in the area and the presence of viable government counterparts has allowed a large number of UN agencies and NGOs to work in a coordinated manner on both humanitarian and development programmes. In Puntland, adversely affected by the tsunami, drought and severe storms, aid activities took place with only minor interruptions, enabling the humanitarian community to expand operations in support of recovery and development.

In 2005 the strategic priorities for Somalia were identified as :

• Save lives and help vulnerable communities become more resilient to crises;
  
  
• Enhance the protection of and respect for the human rights and dignity of Somalis;
  
  
• Help existing and emerging governance structures, civil society groups and communities to gain the necessary capacities and skills to function effectively and contribute to the stability and economic development of Somalia.

While humanitarian agencies implemented both short and long term activities that sought to support the three 2005 strategic priorities, there were major operational constraints that affected the delivery of assistance, particularly in central and south zones where the impact of humanitarian activities remained limited. These included insecurity, which was further aggravated by political instability; severe access difficulties; imbalanced sectoral funding; poor humanitarian presence and lack of response capacity; weak capacity of local NGOs; shift in focus from Somalia's vulnerable groups to other competing emergencies such as Sudan/Darfur; interference by local authorities in agency operations which led to the temporary suspension of humanitarian activities; the unresolved problem of land ownership which continued to adversely impact the IDP crisis in the country.

Among the main achievements of 2005 was the timely and adequate humanitarian response to the Indian Ocean tsunami that hit the coast of Somalia in the last week of December 2004. Northeastern Somalia was worst affected, particularly a stretch of about 650 kilometres between Hafun and Garacad. The tsunami further exacerbated the humanitarian situation in Puntland, which had already been hit by a series of shocks including three years of drought, floods, freezing rains, the continuing livestock ban and civil tensions. The tsunami affected an estimated 44,000 people (including IDPs and returnees), resulting in a shift in wealth groups, loss of life, destruction of infrastructure, damage to water sources and loss of livelihood assets. Humanitarian organisations worked with local communities to provide relief, focusing on shelter construction, water and sanitation, rehabilitation of schools and health facilities.

In contrast, the humanitarian needs of almost one million Somalis were only partially met, as further substantiated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) / Food Security Assessment Unit (FSAU) annual needs assessment that took place following the Gu harvest in August 2005. At least 545,000 people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance with 200,000 people facing a state of Humanitarian Emergency and 345,000 facing a Livelihood Crisis, while an additional 370,000-400,000 people are internally displaced. The following map outlines the location and degree of vulnerable groups in Somalia.

During 2005, stability in the northwest and northeast has led to relatively good access to civilian populations (with the exception of the contested eastern Sanaag and Sool). However, the over-all security situation in central and south zones (where a large proportion of the most vulnerable communities reside) remained extremely volatile. Nonetheless, specific areas, in particular Juba Valley and Lower Shabelle, have seen some improvements. Increasing local reconciliation processes, as well as initiatives and pressure from civil society for better social services and accountability from their leaders, could lead to new opportunities for humanitarian engagement in 2006.

Despite reconciliation attempts by elders and clan members, the fighting between the Gare and Marehan in El Wak, Gedo continued intermittently during 2005 and an estimated 15,000 people have been displaced in El Wak district. Attempts by the humanitarian community to negotiate access with the two clans have been on-going but continued tensions on the ground have impeded the resumption of essential services. The use of landmines that was reported in August could further negatively impact access and security for both civilians and aid personnel. In October, renewed talks brought out the possibility of future peace in the area although this had not been finalised at the time this document went to press (October 2005).

Multi agency programmes continued to support the reintegration of returnees with a focus on access to basic services and income generation, promotion of the rule of law and good governance and poverty reduction. Since the beginning of 2005, 6,866 Somali refugees have returned to Somalia with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assistance, bringing the total number of returnees since the early 1990s to some 1.2 million, the majority of who returned spontaneously, while nearly 500,000 were assisted by UNHCR in the repatriation process. In 2005, the vast majority of the refugees returned from Ethiopia, followed by Djibouti, Kenya, Yemen, Philippines, Bangladesh and South Africa. Following the successful reconciliation process in Puntland in 2003, large-scale spontaneous refugee return to the area continued to be observed in 2005 from the immediate region and beyond.

Various housing and shelter initiatives were launched in different areas of Somalia as authorities and aid agencies increasingly worked in an integrated manner to provide sustainable solutions for IDP settlements. These usually consist of shelters made of scrap clothing and plastic or cartons and offer limited or no protection from the elements. More often than not, IDPs and destitute returnees and foreigners (including asylum-seekers and refugees) and other vulnerable Somalis live in the same locations and share the same problems. In the northeast, following the destruction of houses and infrastructure as a result of the tsunami, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other aid agencies joined forces to start rebuilding Hafun town, and in cooperation with local leaders, decided on a new settlement site. In Garowe, authorities and aid agencies focused their activities on the new settlement site – the old airport – on which the authorities allocated three plots of land for a housing project that will benefit a total of 340 of 1,500 IDP households. Most of Garowe's IDPs live near the river, vulnerable to flooding and without sustainable shelter and sanitation. The new site is part of an integrated development plan for the extension of Garowe and will facilitate integration with the rest of the community.

Activities in the area of HIV/AIDS have been enhanced and strong political and civil society commitment is yielding results. In Somaliland, the authorities launched an AIDS Commission in 2005. AIDS Commission proposals are at approval stages in Puntland and central and south zones. HIV test kits for Voluntary Confidential Counselling Testing services have been distributed in hospitals and health workers have been trained on voluntary counselling and testing. Peer education initiatives have commenced in primary and secondary schools in Somaliland with a similar proposal approved for Puntland. Over 50 patients have commenced Anti Retroviral Therapy (ARV) in Somaliland and capacity building to scale up is underway. The Global Fund on AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria is supporting efforts to build HIV/AIDS comprehensive response structures with government and civil society.

Key achievements in the food security and livelihood sector involved the support given to tsunami affected communities, including assistance in rebuilding the fisheries sector, and to drought stricken pastoralist communities in the Sool and Sanag plateau; as well as support to riverine communities affected by floods in Juba Valley. These initiatives have helped to prevent further displacement and supported livelihood asset protection. While a Consolidated Flash Appeal was launched to assist those affected by the tsunami, the Humanitarian Response Fund (HRF) gave access to immediate funds to pastoralists in severe distress (as a result of drought) in the north of the country. In terms of food aid, agencies have an agreement where they "split the country up" to ensure effective food aid delivery. Nearly 1.2 million people benefited from food aid distributions in 2005 that targeted schools attended by children from returnee, IDP and other vulnerable communities, allowing 9,050 underprivileged children to go to school.

In the health sector, UN agencies and NGOs vaccinated 15,000 children through the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) acceleration multi-antigen campaign; provided mobile clinic services that benefited 14,000 people in drought-affected Sool/Sanaag (Togdeer, Bari and Nugal regions); supported nine supplementary feeding programmes and established four therapeutic feeding centres to treat 11,000 malnourished children in south and central zones. In addition, outbreak preparedness and response plans were put in place, including the pre-positioning of supplies in all three zones; the epidemiological weekly surveillance system was refined and improved; and 22 participants in all three zones were trained on a three-month course on community based mental health services.

In water and sanitation, key achievements included improved access to safe drinking water provided to approximately 120,000 people throughout the country; 500 latrine slabs provided to marginalised communities in the south and central zones; hygiene awareness campaigns launched in Bossaso IDP camps and capacity building of community water and sanitation committees through training of committee members in three targeted locations.

Key achievements in the education sector included increased primary school enrolment by 63,000 children; construction of four classroom blocks complete with water and sanitation facilities in Somaliland and Puntland; construction of seven school buildings in the tsunami hit area of Hafun; the provision of 186 tents to serve as temporary classrooms for 15,000 pupils; training of 1,500 primary school teachers and support for the increasing involvement of Somali women in local NGOs assisting with education programme delivery.

In the protection sector, UN agencies in partnership with national and international NGOs in Somaliland and Puntland established IDP working groups that provided guidance on the provision of accelerated humanitarian assistance, as well as on the implementation of longer-term approaches to IDP resettlement. Both working groups have developed strategic plans and are already addressing the issue of resettlement with host communities in Garowe, Hargeisa and Jowhar. The working groups are also moving towards strengthening the capacity of local authorities to better respond to the needs of IDPs and other vulnerable groups. The Joint Strategic Framework on IDPs has been finalised and will become an 'implementation tool' for other longer-term development initiatives, as well as guide protection activities outlined in this CAP.

Financial Review

At the mid year review point (June 2005) the financial requirements were revised to US$ 162.3 million from the original US$ 164,463,170. This was largely due to the World Food Programme's (WFP) re-adjustment of its Protracted Relief and Rehabilitation Operation (PRRO) food operations from US$ 45.2 million to US$ 34.5 million, owing to the exceptionally good Deyr 2004/2005 performance. CARE International also re-adjusted its ongoing project and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) submitted two additional projects for the Mid Term Review process.

Early 2005, the CAP was around 46% (US$ 74,569,611) covered. This is a slight decrease when compared to the funding status during the same time last year, which stood at 52% or US$ 62 million. The funding analysis continues to show a sectoral bias: coordination, education, health, protection, water and sanitation remain under funded, while food, shelter and agriculture are well covered. Of particular concern, is the security sector, which has received no funding. In the Somali context, where chronic insecurity poses a serious challenge to agencies operating on the ground, lack of resources toward this sector significantly hampers the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Somalia.

Lessons Learned

UN agencies, NGOs and other humanitarian partners identified a number of lessons learned in 2005 that were taken into consideration during the development of the 2006 Appeal:

• The 'decentralisation' of the CAP workshops, with mini workshops organised in Jowhar, Hargeisa and Garoowe in August 2005, encouraged increased participation by all key partners involved in the delivery of humanitarian programmes;
  
  
• While the situation remains volatile in central/south Somalia, enhanced security in specific pockets provide new windows of opportunity for access and humanitarian engagement in 2006. It is critical that humanitarian actors vigorously pursue these opportunities when they arise by rapidly expanding humanitarian presence;
  
  
• Since its inception in February 2004 the Humanitarian Response Fund has supported 18 projects totalling almost US$ 3 million. Originally set up to address the emergency humanitarian needs of the drought affected pastoralists in northern Somalia the HRF has now been expanded to include emergencies such as floods and internal displacement. This has improved the timeliness and appropriateness of humanitarian assessment and responses;
  
  
• The Food Security and Livelihood Sector and the Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation sector both benefited from enhanced partnership with local NGOs to overcome access constraints and improve programme delivery;
  
  
• The tsunami and the unusual 2005 Gu river flows again highlighted the need for well developed Flood Early Warning Systems and national and local emergency preparedness plans;
  
  
• In the education sector, there is a need for improved coordination to ensure more effective and equitable use of limited resources, better targeting and to avoid duplication and an over-concentration in specific areas; increased consultation with and support to the operational capacity of local NGOs is essential to enhancing service delivery;
  
  
• In the Protection Sector, lessons learned included the need to focus on achieving measurable improvements in the overall protective environment. Protection is a cross cutting issue for which questions of 'access' must continue to be the focus. Objectives that touch on good governance must be more realistic, with built in accountabilities to demonstrate increased respect of human rights and humanitarian law.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Executive Summary

• Table I. Summary of Requirements by Sector and by Organisation

2. 2005 in Review

3. The 2006 Common Humanitarian Action Plan

3.1 The Context and its Humanitarian Consequences

• 3.1A The Context
• 3.1B The Humanitarian Consequences

3.2 Scenarios

3.3 Strategic Priorities for Humanitarian Response

3.4 Response Plans

• Access and Security
• Food Security and Livelihoods
• Health, Nutrition, Water and Sanitation
• Education
• Protection
• Cross Cutting Sectors
  1. HIV/AIDS
  2. Return and Integration
  3. Capacity Building

4. Strategic Monitoring Plan

5. Criteria for Prioritisation of Projects

6. Summary: Strategic Framework for Humanitarian Response

• Table II. List of Project Activities by Sector and by Appealing Organisation

Annex I. Integrated Food Security Phase Classification Table

Annex II. Post Gu 2005 estimated number of people in Somalia in Humanitarian emergency and or Acute food and livelihood crisis

Annex III. Long term nutrition trends (1999-2005)

Annex IV. Number of organizations consulted during CAP

Annex V. Donor response to CAP 2005

Annex VI. Acronyms and Abbreviations

Project Summary sheets are in a separate volume entitled "Projects"

Note: The full text of this appeal is available on-line in Adobe Acrobat (pdf) format and may also be downloaded in zipped MS Word format.

Volume 1 - Full Original Appeal	[pdf* format] [zipped MS Word format]
Volume 2 - Projects	[pdf* format] [zipped MS Word format]

* Get the Adobe Acrobat Viewer (free)

For additional copies, please contact:

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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Tel.: (41 22) 917.1972
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E-Mail: cap@reliefweb.int