Attachments
Situation Overview
Amid growing operational challenges across the country, Ethiopia Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items (ES/NFI) Cluster is witnessing a concerning decline in response capacity, potentially leaving many target populations stranded and exposed to increasing shelter and living standard related woes. By May 31, 2025, ES/NFI Cluster had only reached 8% (160K) of its targeted displacement-affected population. Horo Guduru Wollega Zone faces ongoing humanitarian needs, with 131,000 displaced since 2022; 77% returned, 23% still displaced. Of 8,414 homes, most remain uninhabitable. In Jardega Jarte, Amuru, and Abe Dongoro, over 53,000 people lack shelter and support amid critical resource shortages and limited service coverage.
Elsewhere, Afar earthquake, IDPs continue to reside in precarious conditions, where shelter inadequacy and livelihood vacuum challenge their overstretched displacement. Droughts and floods have hit both Afar and Somali, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities and foreshadowing further displacement risks due to climatic shocks. With above-average Kiremt rains anticipated, the threat of flooding and landslides further elevates humanitarian concerns, yet again requiring pre-emptive and coordinated action across sectors.
Response and Gaps
During the May period, 21 partners contributed to shelter and NFI response activities, with additional resources mobilized for 3% (70K) of the total target. However, a significant gap of 89% (1.9 M people) remains unaddressed, while the pipeline remains precarious, largely reliant on carryover stocks and residual funding, which are rapidly depleting. To address such circumstances, ES/NFI Cluster has spearheaded several attempts in collaboration with the Global Shelter Cluster and IOM for multi-level advocacy and donor engagement.
May's interventions spanned four regions, with Oromia region receiving the highest level of support, while significant gaps were observed in Amhara and Tigray. The second round of Cluster prioritization has been published to help guide partners’ programming in the current operational cycle. Furthermore, to enhance the quality and consistency of response, several technical advances were made, including the issuance of Integrated Shelter and Essential NFI (ISEN) kit, updated guidance for flood-response kits and Afar-specific shelter kits, together with the response cost review process designed to ensure alignment between national guidance and regional implementation.