OCHA: CAROLYN MCASKIE TO VISIT ETHIOPIA
The Deputy Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator for the United Nations
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA), Ms. Carolyn
McAskie, will travel to Ethiopia from 11 to 13 June. Ms. McAskie plans
to review the effects of the drought and the overall humanitarian situation
while also raising awareness among the international community and mobilizing
support for emergency relief operations. She will also provide recommendations
on how to improve the effectiveness of response efforts and collaboration
with development partners. While in Ethiopia Ms. McAskie will meet with
government officials, NGOs, donors and the UN Country Team. Prior to her
visit she will travel to Eritrea.
CRITICAL EMERGENCY SITUATION ALONG OMO VALLEY
UN-OCHA-EUE field officer has reported a critical emergency situation in Gale Bosa Woreda, one of the five woredas of Dawuro Zone in SNNPR. The magnitude of the problem is critically severe in the ten kebeles of the woreda located along the Omo Valley bordering the Omo-Sheleko Woreda of the Kambaata-Tambaaro Zone on the other side of the river. According to the report there is a severe food shortage and high level of malnutrition witnessed in the majority of the community. Farmers reported good rains at ploughing time but after sowing the rainfall became erratic. As a result maize, haricot bean and taro in the fields completely dried up. Severe water shortage is also reported for both humans and very few remaining livestock. As the area never recovered since the 2000 drought and survival strategies are exhausted, the situation has reached a critical stage. It was noted that relief food support was given once in 2000 but no close monitoring has been conducted since then. The zonal administration however, diverted a zonal budget and distributed relief food (maize and feba beans) in March 2003. Since then, there was one more round of relief food distribution sent from the central DPPC. However, due to the inaccessibility of the area, the distribution was along the Sod-chida main highway in the nearby woreda, but most of the weaker beneficiaries were unable to walk the long distance (estimated to 70 km in some areas). The situation is also exacerbated by the outbreak of malaria and a cattle epidemic.
NUTRITIONAL SURVEY COORDINATED BY CARE AND WFP IN EAST HARERGHE
CARE and WFP coordinated a nutritional survey in four woredas (Kurfa Chelle, Grawa, Meyu and Bedeno) of East Harerghe, Oromiya region with participation of many other experts. According to the recent survey, results (GAM is 14.9%) indicate that the nutritional condition in the woredas is rated as serious. The nutritional condition in Kurfa Chelle and Meyu woredas is reported to be critical and needs close follow up. The aggravating factors for the serious situation are high market price of grains, poor household availability of food and inability to target the poorest segment of the communities resulting in high under five mortality rate (1.56 death/ 10,000 per day). CARE has planned to distribute Famix for 38% of the total food beneficiaries starting from May 2003 onwards. Blanket supplementary distribution is recommended for the two most affected woredas in the zone.
EMERGENCY MEASLES AND VITAMIN A CAMPAIGN - NEW ROUND
The Ministry of Health (MOH), UNICEF, WHO and Partners will lead a second round of the measles and Vitamin A campaign starting from 5 June, targeting over 5 million children aged from six months to 14 years with the goal of 90% coverage or more, in 6 zones of Amhara, Oromiya and SNNP regions. Accessibility and security concerns may instead delay the start of the activities in Fik Zone of Somali Region. This new round of vaccinations and Vitamin A and the recently conducted campaign in April are funded by UNICEF, WHO, USAID, CIDA, the Governments of Japan and the Netherlands as part of the 2003 Ethiopia campaign targeting a total of 19.7 million children aged from six months to 14 years.
BOB GELDOF ARRIVED IN ETHIOPIA FOR FIVE-DAY VISIT
Bob Geldof, famous musician and activist, together with Vice President of the UK National Committee for UNICEF and other UNICEF supporters arrived in Addis on 27 May 2003 for a five-day visit. Geldof spoke with government officials on the current situation in the country and urged the government and politicians to face up to the devastating HIV/AIDS relief programs. He also pointed out that the situation in Ethiopia is catastrophic and HIV/AIDS together with massive debit and poor trade terms are debilitating the country's ability to fight drought.