U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
Note: The last situation report was dated July 21, 2006.
BACKGROUND
In January 2006, the Government
of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (GFDRE), the U.N., and humanitarian
partners released the Joint Humanitarian Appeal requesting food assistance
for an estimated 2.6 million people. The appeal emphasized the vulnerability
of 1.7 million agro-pastoralists and pastoralists in Afder, Liben, and
Gode zones of Somali Region, and Borena Zone of Oromiya Region, due to
successive failed rainy seasons and resulting livestock and livelihood
losses. The drought followed closely the complex health and food insecurity
of 2005, when an estimated 12 million Ethiopians faced a large-scale complex
food security crisis. As drought conditions worsened across the Horn of
Africa, the situation in Oromiya and Somali regions became more precarious,
and crossborder migration of pastoralists in search of water and pasture
increased(1) From March to September, USAID/OFDA deployed an assessment
team of technical and program specialists to the Horn of Africa to assist
field-based staff in humanitarian assessments, response coordination, and
programming. With the hunger season coming to a close, the humanitarian
situation in Ethiopia has stabilized. Better than expected rains regenerated
water and pasture sources in some areas; however, pockets of poor rains
hindered full recovery for many pastoralists who will continue to require
assistance in the coming year.
| NUMBERS AT A GLANCE |
SOURCE
| |
| Total Vulnerable Population in 2006 |
10 million
| GFDRE Food Security Coordination Bureau and U.N. World Food Program (WFP), August 2006 |
| GFDRE Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) Identified as Chronically Food Insecure |
7.2 million
| GFDRE Food Security Coordination Bureau and WFP Target for July to December 2006 |
| Emergency Food Assistance Caseload |
2.8 million
| GFDRE Food Security Coordination Bureau and WFP Target for July to December 2006 |
Total FY 2006 USAID/OFDA Assistance to Ethiopia: $15,601,905
Total FY 2006 U.S. Government (USG) Humanitarian Assistance to Ethiopia: $158,378,512
CURRENT SITUATION
Food security stabilizes following rains.The federal Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) recently released the final report from the June-July belg assessment, conducted in collaboration with U.N. offices, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donor agencies. According to the report, the food security situation has stabilized in much of the country following better than expected rains between February and May. However, pockets of uneven and below average rainfall continue to hinder food security and livelihoods in pastoral areas of Somali and Oromiya regions. The report identified 7.2 million people for continued participation in the government-managed Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), as well as 2.8 million people for ongoing emergency food assistance through December 2006. The DPPA expects to increase the emergency caseload to assist communities affected by flooding and the acute watery diarrhea outbreak.
Flooding affects thousands across Ethiopia. Following months of drought conditions, heavy rains since late July have caused severe flooding throughout the country. The most affected regions are Dire Dawa, Oromiya, Amhara, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples (SNNP). The flooding has affected approximately 363,000 people, resulting in more than 630 deaths and the displacement of an estimated 145,000 people. On August 25, the GFDRE and U.N. agencies issued a flash appeal requesting $27 million for immediate humanitarian and long-term rehabilitation needs.
On August 16, U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Vicki J. Huddleston declared a disaster due to the extent of the flood damage. USAID/OFDA assessment teams travelled to affected areas to assess conditions and work with partners to ensure an appropriate humanitarian response. Due to the humanitarian capacity already present for the drought, significant assistance arrived quickly to the affected areas. Through existing arrangements with implementing partners, USAID/OFDA provided emergency relief supplies, food assistance, and water treatment supplies, as well as water and sanitation and health services to the flood-affected communities. The U.S. Military, through the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, supported the flood response efforts in Dire Dawa by providing temporary shelter, emergency relief supplies, and medical equipment; digging latrines; and deploying a four-person medical team.
Diarrheal disease spreads throughout the country. The federal Ministry of Health (MOH) has reported more than 20,800 cases of acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and nearly 200 related deaths in health institutions in Tigray, Amhara, Oromiya, Somali, and SNNP regions, as well as in Addis Ababa. According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the outbreak was confirmed to be caused by the vibrio cholerae 01 sero type inaba. In order to coordinate response efforts, the federal MOH established a National Coordination Committee with four sub-committees including Advocacy Communication and Social Mobilization; Environmental Health and Sanitation; Surveillance, Information Exchange, Clinical Management; and Laboratory Investigation. Despite containment efforts, the outbreak continues to spread.
In response to AWD, USAID/OFDA is providing assistance through existing arrangements with implementing partners to distribute humanitarian commodities and provide services such as well rehabilitation, chlorination of water sites, and construction of latrines and hand washing facilities. USAID/OFDA-partner Population Services International (PSI) provided approximately 658,000 sachets of PUR water treatment product and 323,000 bottles of Waterguard, and trained nearly 1,500 local officials in PUR usage and safe water systems. In addition, USAID/OFDA partner International Rescue Committee (IRC) contributed water chlorination supplies, hygiene promotion materials, soap, water containers, and Waterguard to the response efforts, as well as constructed 18 latrines in SNNP Region.
Insecurity hinders humanitarian aid in Somali Region. Insecurity continues to hamper the provision of humanitarian services in Somali Region. On September 18, armed men associated with the United Western Somali Liberation Front stopped a three-vehicle convoy of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) outside Gode, Somali Region. The assailants abducted two ICRC staff members and allowed the vehicles and six other staff members to return to Gode. The abducted men were released unharmed on September 23. Previously on August 2, six unidentified armed men stopped two international organization vehicles and stole communications equipment. The gunmen released the drivers unharmed. Insecurity and logistical constraints have also resulted in delayed and canceled food dispatches to the region by the DPPA. The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) reported that confirming the delivery of food aid to beneficiaries remains a challenge, as insecurity limits field monitors' access to many areas of the region.
U.N. plans for possible influx of Somali refugees. On August 14, U.N. agencies briefed the humanitarian community in Ethiopia on a draft U.N. contingency plan for a possible influx of refugees into eastern Ethiopia if large-scale conflict erupts in neighboring Somalia. From August 2 to 11, an assessment team from the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) traveled to Somali Region and identified 6 potential refugee registration sites, 2 transit centers, and 2 camps to assist up to 50,000 refugees. The U.N. also outlined basic protection, water and sanitation, health, food, nutrition, livestock, agriculture, environment, education, and social services interventions as part of the plan.
Note: (1) Additional information can be found in the Horn of Africa Situation Report, available at http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/ disaster_assistance/.
MAP: FY 2006 USG programs in Ethiopia (as of 26 Sep 2006)
(pdf* format - 53 KB)