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Situation Overview
The Horn of Africa region continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis, with millions of people in need of assistance due to a combination of factors including drought, flooding, conflict, economic crisis and inability to access basic needs. In recent years, the region has been hit by a series of droughts, leading to crop failure, lack of water and food. Since earlier this year, the region has also been hit by heavy rains leading to flooding which has caused widespread destruction and displacement exacerbating humanitarian needs. The floods have also led to further health risks, including concerns regarding water borne diseases. The rains have by no means dissipated the severity of the situation and concerns regarding the effects of the drought in the region.
By the end of July, according to UNHCR’s drought dashboard over 2.3 million people had been internally displaced in Ethiopia and Somalia due to the drought and over 251,000 new refugees and asylum-seekers had crossed from and into drought-affected areas of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
In Ethiopia, the Somali Region witnessed displacement, predominantly driven by drought and floods, with the situation in the Siti zone being particularly dire with the additional factor of recurrent clashes. As of July 2023, about 102,000 people, were living in (Internally Displaced Persons) IDP camps as well as with host communities in West Siti and needed emergency humanitarian assistance. Their critical needs include shelter, food, WASH, health, and protection, while the current rainy season, pause on food assistance, and limited response led to a further degradation of the humanitarian situation.
Despite improved security, access, and partner presence in 2023, the lack of resources is impacting the scale-up of humanitarian responses in Western Oromia, specifically in the four Wellega zones. Flash floods in East Borena Zone woredas recently affected 8,000 families, caused the death of almost 30,000 livestock and led to the loss of cultivated and grazing land. Insecurity in East Borena has also impeded road access to communities requiring humanitarian assistance.
In Kenya, the analysis of the July 2023 monthly rainfall performance indicates that several parts of the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) counties received low amounts of rainfall including the pastoral northeast counties, including Mandera, Wajir, Isiolo, Tana River and Garissa.
Over 6.4 million people, including 5.4 million severely food insecure people, require assistance in 2023. Additionally, the long rains in most arid counties led to flash floods, which had negative impacts on the local livelihoods and critical logistical facilities.
In Somalia, UNHCR continued to operate in an extremely challenging environment. Armed conflict, natural disasters, and climate shocks such as droughts and flash floods have uprooted thousands of Somalis from their homes. Better than expected rainfall and responses from the local population, authorities, and the humanitarian community have averted the worst outcomes of the drought, yet the situation is still worrisome. Rates of internal displacement owing to insecurity and climate change remain high. 8.25 million people require humanitarian assistance; 6.6 million are facing acute food insecurity; and 1.8 million children are anticipated to be acutely malnourished in 2023.
According to the UNHCR-led Protection and Return Monitoring Network (PRMN), 70,000 displacements within Somalia were recorded in July. Out of the total displacements during the reporting month, 37,000 (53%) were attributed to conflict or insecurity, 30,000 (43%) to drought, and 2,500 (4%) to floods and other reasons. Food, protection, livelihood support, and shelter were the top needs of the newly displaced families. The top three regions that received the greatest number of new displacements in July were Middle Shabelle, followed by Gedo and Lower Juba. More up-to-date information about displacement and the protection needs of the IDPs can be found at the PRMN online interactive dashboard.