Ethiopia - Situation Report, 25 Aug 2023

HIGHLIGHTS

• The situation in large parts of Amhara has stabilized; the impact of hostilities on most vulnerable people is yet to be ascertained;

• Medicine and therapeutic supplementary foods shortage pose additional challenges to the nutrition response for children in drought affected Oromia, South Ethiopia, and SNNP;

• Ethiopian Government provides relief food assistance to more than 147,000 people in Oromia;

• Measles vaccination campaigns in Amhara and Oromia completed, reaching 100 per cent of targeted children under-ten;

• Eight months into the year, the humanitarian response remains 73 per cent underfunded

BACKGROUND

Situation Overview

SUMMARY

On World Humanitarian Day - 19 August, the world pays tribute to humanitarian workers who risk their lives every day to help others in conflict and natural disaster impacted zones. In 2022, at least 444 aid workers around the world (including 11 in Ethiopia) fell victim to violence in separate attacks while carrying out their life-saving work. The day is a reminder of the need to protect all humanitarians as they assist people in need all around the world, including in Ethiopia where over 20 million people need humanitarian assistance due to compounded crises induced by conflict, climate, or epidemics.

Tigray

In the Tigray region, responding to displacements, mainly from the two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia remains a priority. Recent site assessments and a village assessment survey identified more than 1 million people displaced in 643 sites across six zones (excluding 20 woredas/ districts hard to reach due to security or environmental factors), and 1.26 million returning IDPs (internally displaced persons) in 963 villages across five zones in the region.

Where resources and access allow, partners have supported the relocation or voluntary return of IDPs. Since the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) signed last November, at least 95,000 voluntary assisted returns have taken place as of end of July 2023. Separately, emergency support is required for a reported recent influx of people displaced from Abaala Woreda, Afar to Siheta Kebele in Hintalo Woreda in Tigray. Preliminary needs identified by partners on 3 August, are shelter and non-food items (ESNFI), food, protection, as well as, health and water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH).

Amhara

The situation in Amhara region has largely stabilized following weeks of hostilities, which had even occurred in major town hubs. Civilians in Amhara have not yet recovered from the two-year long conflict in Northern Ethiopia, which impacted their lives and livelihood. The recent hostilities are most likely to worsen the hardship of civilians, especially with the limited humanitarian operations that came to a halt following the insecurity. Amid challenging circumstances, humanitarian partners are mapping available humanitarian supplies and resources for delivery to the people in need in the Amhara Regionincluding those at risk of the ongoing cholera outbreak, and the over 580,000 IDPs living in difficult conditions across several sites in the region as soon as the situation allows.

Afar

Increasing malnutrition levels and number of related admissions in the Afar Region reportedly reveal a shortage in Therapeutic Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) supplies for rehabilitating moderately malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women. The situation has led to a reduction of target woredas from 33 to 16, seemingly a stop in out-patient therapeutic feeding services, and at least 45 per cent of readmissions of children previously treated for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) per preliminary estimates.

Between 21 July and 12 August 2023, Desert Locusts (DL) have been intercepted in about 12,653 hectares (ha) of the 62,000 ha surveyed area in Afar, Amhara and Tigray, and further investigation on sightings is under way. The probability of further spread in the regions is high due to proximity of the affected woredas. While communities are using traditional means to fend off locust swarms, scaled-up interventions by regional authorities and partners are required to control the infestation and avert further damage to crop land and livelihood.

Between 21 July and 12 August 2023, Desert Locusts (DL) have been intercepted in about 12,653 hectares (ha) of the 62,000 ha surveyed area in Afar, Amhara and Tigray, and further investigation on sightings is under way. The probability of further spread in the regions is high due to proximity of the affected woredas. While communities are using traditional means to fend off locust swarms, scaled-up interventions by regional authorities and partners are required to control the infestation and avert further damage to crop land and livelihood.