Humanitarian Crises in Southern and Eastern Africa
At the beginning of 2017, warnings were issued of imminent famine in parts of South Sudan, while the Somali and Kenyan governments declared national disasters due to the ongoing drought. In the event, famine was staved off in the region thanks to timely and robust intervention; however, the 2017 seasonal rains have not been sufficient to reverse the effects of the drought on crop production and food security in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. Meanwhile, in South Sudan, the continuing conflict - it has now entered its fifth year - has meant the humanitarian crisis continues to intensify, with seven million people needing help this year (OCHA, 20 Feb 2018).
In Kenya, six counties (Isiolo, Kajiado, Tana River, Garissa, Kilifi , Wajir) are in alarm drought status and experiencing a worsening trend. The five counties in alert drought status are Mandera, Kitui, Marsabit, Taita Taveta and Tharaka Nithi. In addition, 13 of the 23 ASAL Counties (56%) are experiencing normal drought status. According to World Vision, 3.4 million people need assistance, but this figure is likely to fall over the course of the year (World Vision, 31 Jan 2018).
The situation in Ethiopia and Somalia is also not improving. According to FEWS NET, large areas of southeastern Ethiopia are in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) and Crisis (IPC Phase 3), with humanitarian assistance preventing worse outcomes in some areas. Sustained, large-scale assistance is needed through at least mid-2018 to mitigate the risk of increases in acute malnutrition and a further deterioration of outcomes, particularly in Dollo, Korahe, and Jarar zones. Large-scale displacement due to conflict in late 2017 in areas along the Oromia-Somali border remains a concern.
In Somalia, says FEWS NET, the Deyr harvest, some milk availability, and large-scale assistance are supporting Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes in many areas. Despite improvements, Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are likely in August, in the absence of assistance, as many households have depleted key livelihood assets and a fifth consecutive below-average season is forecast (FEWS NET, 16 Feb 2018).
Meanwhile, in southern Africa, the fall army worm infestation shows no sign of abating, with concomitant effects on food security. Says FAO: “The pest is now present across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) except Mauritius and Lesotho. Partial fall army worm monitoring has pointed to Malawi as the hotspot in the 2017/18 season, and the country has since declared a national disaster” (FAO, 9 Feb 2018).
Indeed, the situation is so severe that a Special Alert was issued on 8 February 2018: “In the absence of consistent rains in February, dry conditions experienced in December to January will diminish water supplies for domestic, agricultural and commercial use. In other areas, including southern and central Mozambique, parts of southern Malawi and southern Zimbabwe, mild rains only returned in late January, by which time many crops had permanently wilted. Southern and central Zambia, southern Malawi and southern Madagascar continue to experience extended periods of below average rainfall and subsequent crop moisture stress. Even if normal rains are received during the remainder of season, it is likely too late for most of the early-planted crops to recover (FSNWG, 8 Feb 2018).
All Updates on Humanitarian Crises in Southern and Eastern Africa
Following an invitation by the Zimbabwean authorities, the European Union has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Zimbabwe to observe the harmonised elections, scheduled for 30 July 2018. This is a further demonstration of the European Union's long-term commitment to support credible, transparent and inclusive elections worldwide.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The multi-sectoral Response Plan targets 818,250 recently displaced people. A total of $117.7m is urgently required, of which approximately $6.99m has already been mobilized by Government and partners, primarily through diverting resources that were originally intended for important response elsewhere in the country.
(Addis Ababa, 22 June 2018): The Government of Ethiopia and humanitarian partners have released a Response Plan to address fresh internal displacement around Gedeo (SNNPR) and West Guji (Oromia) Zones. The Appeal prioritizes life-saving support for over 818,000 men, women and children displaced as a result of inter-communal violence that has escalated since early June 2018.
A. SITUATION ANALYSIS
Description of the disaster
Sudan’s western Darfur region is home to nearly 10 million people and occupies a land mass which is about ten times the size of Belgium. For decades soils, forests, and water resources in this largely arid and conflict-affected region have been depleted at alarming rates.
Erratic rainfall patterns have led to dwindling water supplies. As agricultural yields have declined, farmers are obliged to cultivate larger plots. This has encroached on the land available for herders.
Polio this week as of 19 June 2018
Featured on www.polioeradication.org: Stopping polio at the border.
World leaders rearmed commitment to eradication at the G7 summit.
In Numbers
1,534 mt of food assistance distributed
US$ 253,618 cash based transfers made
US$ 29.8 million six months (June-November 2018) net funding requirement
428,585 people assisted in May 2018
Operational Updates
Around 400,000 people have been newly displaced on both sides of the regional borders of Gedeo (SNNP region) and Guji (Oromia region) zones since 1 June (ECHO 19/06/2018). In total, some 700,000 people have been displaced since a new wave of violence between the Gedeo and Guji communities started on 13 April. Insecurity continues to prevent IDPs from returning to their areas of origin (OCHA 14/06/2018; OCHA 22/05/2018; UNICEF 10/05/2018). IDPs are staying in shelters in public buildings and spontaneous IDP sites.
Solutions durables
Opération « Ramadan à la maison» à Kaga-Bandoro
Du 12 au 14 juin 2018, l’opération dénommée « Ramadan à la maison » s’est poursuivie à Kaga-Bandoro toujours avec le concours du HCR, OIM, et PARET et a permis d’assister le retour de 148 ménages de 368 personnes déplacées internes du site Mbella vers la ville de Kaga-Bandoro. Chaque ménage a reçu 50,000FCFA du PARET et des kits NFI de l’OIM constitués de kits cuisine, nattes, couvertures, bâches, bassines et lampes.
KEY MESSAGES
• A total of 25 new arrivals were reported, a two fold increase of entries compared to the previous week. Once again, no exits were reported.
• The majority of the new arrivals cited lack of food as their reason for displacement (75%) while others cited rejoining their family (25%).
• The majority of new arrivals came from Ethiopia (57%) while the remaining came from Belet xaawo(13%), Xudur (13%) and Garbaharey district (14%).
KEY MESSAGES
• A total of 164 new arrivals were recorded this week, a slight increase compared to last week, and 11 exits were recorded, a slight decrease compared to last week.
• The majority of the new arrivals cited insecurity (50%), food scarcity (33%), health (10%) and education (7%) as their reasons for displacement.
June 20, 2018 – On July 9, 2018, the UN Security Council will hold its Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict (CAC), under the presidency of Sweden, current chair of the Security Council Working Group on CAC. At the debate, the Secretary-General (SG) will present his annual report on CAC, pursuant to Security Council Resolution 2225 (2015), covering January 1 to December 31, 2017. Sweden will take the opportunity of the debate to highlight protection of children’s rights and prevention of future violations, and plans to introduce a resolution for adoption.
INTRODUCTION
The onset of the conflict in South Sudan in December 2013 changed the landscape of humanitarian access to populations in the conflict-affected states in the Greater Upper Nile region.
Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 40,944 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea through the first 171 days of 2018. That total compares to 84,675 at this time last year, and over 215,997 at this time in 2016.
Dundo - Angola government is committed to providing security to refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), based in the eastern province of Lunda Norte.
Angola’s pledge was reaffirmed Wednesday by the province's governor Ernesto Muangala, adding that the country has created conditions for education and access to drinking water for DRC refugees.
Muangala was speaking at the Lóvua settlement, 80 kilometers from the provincial capital Dundo, during a ceremony that marked World Refugee Day, June 20.
Highlights
A total of 125,837 vulnerable individuals including Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and South Sudanese Refugees (SSR) received life-saving integrated health and nutrition services.
The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lowcock, visited Sudan in May. He urged the international community to step up humanitarian response to 7.1 million vulnerable people and invest in the country’s social-economic development, expressing particular concern for women and children, and the need to protect them.
By Mohamed Beavogui
Agriculture represents tremendous opportunities for African economies. The sector contributed more than $100 billion to Africa’s GDP in 2016. But much of that potential could be realised if there are effective solutions addressing the factors that drive the under-performance trend in the sector.
