Refugee Update Up to 15,000 people from the Lou Nuer community have crossed into ’s western Gambella Region since mid- February 2012. The new arrivals – most of whom are women, children and elderly – have settled near the border town of Matar and are living in makeshift shelters. Local communities have been sharing existing food and water stocks and other public facilities with the new arrivals, but the influx has stretched water and sanitation facilities beyond their capacity. UNHCR is working with the government refugee agency, ARRA, to establish a transit centre near Matar and to expedite the screening, registration and relocation of individuals verified as refugees to Fugnido camp. As of 13 March, about 1,300 people had been transferred to Fugnido. Fugnido camp was opened in 1993 in response to previous influxes of refugees from Sudan and is home to an existing population of some 23,000 refugees, most of whom would now be Southern Sudanese. UNHCR has started distribution of non-food items (NFIs), including tents, plastic sheets, blankets, kitchen sets and jerry cans to the new arrivals in Fugnido from its stockpile in Gambella, while ARRA and WFP are providing food assistance. WFP is also working with Government counterparts to extend food assistance in Gambella Region to cover the already-vulnerable host community. UNHCR and ARRA are also working to prepare for possible additional influxes of refugees in the future. For more information, contact: [email protected] or [email protected] Price Update Ethiopia’s year-on-year inflation rate rose to 36.3 per cent in February, up from 32 per cent the previous month. Food price inflation rose to 47.4 per cent (up from 41.4 per cent in January) and non-food inflation to 21.4 per cent (up from 19.2 per cent). This significant hike in the inflation rate comes on the heels of five months of gradually declining inflation rates, since the peak at 40.6 per cent in August 2011. The Central Statistics Agency attributes the increase to higher food prices observed in most markets across Ethiopia in February. According to the agency, increases were observed in the prices of cereals (58 per cent), pulses (61.6 per cent), fruits and vegetables (35.6 per cent), and spices (63.8 per cent), despite the good 2011 meher harvest. The high rate of inflation is likely to continue to affect the purchasing power of the most vulnerable households. For more information, contact: [email protected]

While the price of food increased substantially in February, the price of livestock and livestock products dropped compared to January 2012. Data show that the volume of livestock traded and livestock prices were reduced in most pastoralist markets. The decline is likely due to the current Easter fasting period for Orthodox and Catholic Christians. Overall, livestock prices remain relatively strong for the time of year, resulting in relatively favourable terms of trade (TOT) for pastoralists. For more information, contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Health Update Suspected cases of meningococcal meningitis continue to be reported from Kacha Bira and Demboya woredas of and and Boloso Bombe woredas of , SNNPR. The situation is under strict monitoring and follow-up, with the involvement of all levels of the health system and strong support from health partners. To enable a timely and effective response to any meningitis outbreak, the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI)’s Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) centre, WHO and UNICEF have prepared an updated Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan (EPRP), which requests US$ 3.1 million for the procurement of vaccines and organization of a mass vaccination campaign targeting 3.8 million people between the ages of 2 and 30 years residing in at- risk areas along the meningitis belt. The plan also supports enhanced epidemiological and laboratory surveillance and case management capacity. Ethiopia is part of the African “Meningitis Belt”, which stretches from Senegal in West Africa across the Sahel countries and through Ethiopia.

New suspected cases of measles were also reported during the past week from Begi woreda of West Wellega zone ( Region); Gesha and Diyo woredas of Keffa zone (SNNPR); and Tahitay Adiyabo woreda of North Western Tigray and Raya Azebo woreda of South Tigray zones (Tigray Region). In SNNPR, the majority of reported cases during the past week were from Diyo woreda; whereas Gesha woreda had consistently been reporting the highest number of cases over the past several months. The Tigray and Oromia Regional Health Bureaus are working to contain the disease through enhanced routine immunization and strengthened case management and surveillance. For more information, contact: who- [email protected]

Wash Update Water shortages continue to be reported in chronically water-insecure areas, with at least 174 trucks to support water trucking requested in Somali (82 trucks), eastern Oromia (63 trucks), Afar (15), and pocket areas of Tigray (9) and Amhara (5) Regions. The water shortages reported in three woredas (, and Hawassa Zuria) of SNNPR three weeks ago also persisted during the week as the belg rains normally expected to set in mid-February were up to one month late. Light showers of 1 to 3 days duration were received in parts of central and western SNNPR, but had no meaningful impact on water availability. Currently, 56 trucks are operational countrywide, leaving a gap of 118 trucks. Meanwhile, construction and rehabilitation of dysfunctional water schemes, as well as provision of water purification materials, continues in areas affected by flooding or at risk of water-related disease outbreaks. For more information, contact:[email protected]

Education Update Following the recent displacement of 29,211 Kenyans in the Moyale woredas of Somali and Oromia Regions, the Emergency Education cluster is closely monitoring requests for education support from the displaced community and the impact such may have on the absorption capacity of education facilities in the hosting areas. Meanwhile, UNICEF has pre- positioned 12 school tents, 1,500 students’ kits and, 20 school-in-a-box kits to support educational activities, as well as300 hygiene kits for adolescent girl students, in the area for distribution as required. For more information, contact: [email protected]