Horn of Africa: CERF and the Ethiopia and Somalia Humanitarian Funds (Updated as of 22 August 2022)

Following three consecutive failed rainy seasons, the Horn of Africa is experiencing one of its worst droughts in recent history, with up to 19.4 million people severely food insecure in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. In response, the OCHA managed pooled funds the Ethiopia and Somalia Humanitarian Funds (EHF and SHF), and the Central Emergency Response Fund (have allocated a total of US 278 million across the three countries in 2021 and 2022 (this also includes 2 million for Djibouti).

Using the comparative advantages of each Fund, including CERF’s speed, and the EHF and SHF’s reach through local and national NGOs, the allocations have enabled immediate responses across the region while also building resilience against future shocks In 2021 alone, the EHF and SHF ensured lifesaving assistance for some five million people (including in hard to reach areas) that among other received water, food, and agriculture support In addition to this, CERF enabled assistance for approximately 7.5 million people in the region through the provision of food, water, protection, health, and nutrition support. All allocations prioritized the most vulnerable, including women, children and people living with disabilities.

So far in 2022 CERF has allocated 65 million to enable UN agencies to deliver immediate food, health, logistics, protection, shelter, and water and sanitation assistance. This includes allocations for Ethiopia ($12 million), Djibouti ($2 million), Kenya ($10 million), and Somalia ($41 million) The EHF and SHF have respectively allocated 22.5 million and 54.8 million respectively to scale up the drought response, with a focus on enabling local and national partners to reach people in the most underserved and hard to reach areas.