Somalia Humanitarian Update Highlights March 2005 Political: The Somalia Transition Federal Government selected Baidoa and Jowhar as temporary reloca- tion sites. In the last week of March fighting ensued in Baidoa. The situation remains tense. Food Security: Inside this issue: Despite sufficient Deyr rains that helped to end a four years drought and is expected to result in good harvests, many parts of Somalia continue to experience food insecurity especially Aw- dal region in Somaliland where malnutrition of children under five years is 20.3%. Food Security 2 Security: Hargeisa and the route to Mandera and Gebiley were last month downgraded from UN Secu- Health and 2 rity Phase 4 to 3 while the rest of Somaliland remained on Phase 4. Nutrition Tsunami Update 3 Tsunami Update: Emergency needs in tsunami affected areas have largely been met. About 5% of the popula- tion is in a state of humanitarian emergency while 40% are experiencing livelihood crisis, re- Security quiring assistance until the next fishing season. CAP 2005 : Funding for projects within the Somalia CAP 2005 remain low with only 3% of the Access 4 appealed funds covered as of 7th April, 2005. CAP 2005 Funding status Protection; 4 IDPs New Government identifies relocation sites in Somalia his month saw a series of develop- security is restored in Mogadishu. However, ments unfold around the Transition the vote took place in the absence of about Federal Government’s (TFG) reloca- 10 out of 74 ministers, who left the meeting. T th tion and the deployment of a peace support Fighting erupted in Baidoa on 26 mission. The TFG delegation which travelled March, 2005, when faction militias attacked into Somalia, between 24th February and 4th demonstrators in favour of the temporary March, was generally well received, yet inci- relocation of the TFG to Baidoa. It is unclear dents of fighting and demonstrations oc- how many people died or were injured as a curred over issues of relocation and deploy- result of the fighting. International staff was ment of IGAD frontline states troops. relocated to Nairobi and National staff to Conflicting interests by faction lead- Wajjid Fighting was short lived but tensions ers remained at a deadlock during Parlia- remain high. ment’s session on 17th March, 2005. IGAD’s Any continued tensions in Baidoa communiqué on 18 March reached a compro- will likely have an impact on the humanitar- UN Office for the mise by approving the deployment, of Suda- ian situation, particularly on the livelihoods co-ordination of nese and Ugandan troops to the peace sup- of the largely farming community. Many Humanitarian port mission in a first phase. Other IGAD coun- farmers have started preparing their land in Affairs tries are expected to deploy in a subsequent preparation of the Gu (long rains season) phase. planting season. If the conflict continues, it (UN-OCHA) st SOMALIA On 21 March 2005, the Somali will interfere with the farming activities in the Council of Ministers voted to temporarily base Bay region, thus affecting food availability the TFG in Baidoa and Jowhar until sufficient and access. Good Deyr rains ends drought but food security concerns remain FOOD SECURITY he Mayor of Berbera appealed for urgent The area is hosting pastoralist migrants from T UN assistance to combat locusts which Shinille zone of Ethiopia who have increased were reported to have reached the eastern by 30% compared to previous years thus ex- parts of Berbera in Somaliland. After an assess- erting more pressure on limited natural re- ment by the Food Agriculture Organisation source. Livestock have poor body conditions and Emergency Prevention System FAO/ due to scarcity of pasture, lack of water, dis- EMPRES, together with the Ministry of Agricul- eases and long travel distance in search of ture, it was established that infestation was not water and pasture. This has in turn reduced significant . Also, present conditions were not food availability at household level favourable for breeding. The FAO/EMPRES (particularly milk production) as the commu- Still, around carried out a control operation on March 4-12 nities rely mainly on livestock and livestock 500,000 people re- main in a state of and Placed the area under observation. products. Veterinary services are almost non- Humanitarian Emer- A preliminary rapid interagency situa- existent in the visited areas. OCHA will share gency or Livelihood tion assessment of the Awdal region calls for the finalized report once available. Crisis, in addition to immediate humanitarian interventions in wa- Meanwhile, exceptionally good deyr the 370,000- ter, food, health and livelihood support to miti- rains have ended the 4 years drought and led 400,000 IDPs. gate against continuing drought conditions in to above average cereal production in most the area. The assessment was carried out fol- cropping areas. Still, around 500,000 people lowing an interagency meeting on 12 March remain in a state of Humanitarian Emergency 2005 to discuss reports of worsening food se- or Livelihood Crisis. curity in the region. According to UNICEF, In north eastern Somalia, the good 20.3% of children under five years of age were rains improved overall condition of pastures moderately malnourished, while 2% are se- and livestock yet the time it will take pastoral- verely malnourished. Anaemia was also ob- ist communities to recover will depend on the served among women and children. The as- outcome of the next gu and deyr seasons. In sessment team says the security situation of central Somalia, ongoing and recurrent civil the areas visited was stable and calm and tensions limit access to grazing, markets and could facilitate humanitarian interventions. other resources. Malnutrition rates remain critically high in Gedo District HEALTH & NUTRITION ood and civil insecurity have persistently numbers of severely malnourished children of F affected the people of Northern Gedo about 50 per month between November 2004 district. According to FSAU food security cate- and January 2005. Most of the Belet Xawa TFC gorization, the main livelihood groups of beneficiaries come from Belet Xawa town, as Bulet Xawa, Dolow and Luuq are experiencing well as Malkariyey, Arracasse, Belet Amin IDP chronic food insecurity with about 29% of the village and nearby villages of Dolow. A few population classified as being in a state of cases come from villages across the Kenyan either emergency or livelihood crisis and in and Ethiopian borders. need of continuing humanitarian assistance. Food insecurity, diseases, limited diet High malnutrition continue to be variety, poor sanitation, poor water quality recorded in Northern Gedo in January and and limited humanitarian access are some of February. 30% of the average 100 children the factors associated with the critical nutri- screened in Bulet Xawa MCH were acutely tion situation in Northern Gedo and the con- malnourished, and 40% of the average 200 sistently high admission rate into the TFC. children screened in Luuq MCH malnour- FSAU plans to establish a sentinel sites surveil- ished. A critical nutrition situation was re- lance system in Northern Gedo in the coming corded in Luuq District in October 2004. De- months to monitor trends in the nutrition spite the need, insecurity hinders relief opera- situation in the area. FSAU and partners also tions and disrupts trade operations. Many aim to undertake a nutrition assessment in UN Office for the roadblocks exist on the main trade routes and Luuq or Bulet Xawa Districts in the course of co-ordination of Humanitarian heavy tax extortion by the militias continues. 2005. (Source March FSAU Monthly Nutrition Affairs | Data from Belet Xawa TFC recorded high Update). (UN-OCHA) SOMALIA Page 2 Somalia tsunami affected in livelihood crisis TSUNAMI UPDATE ccording to the Interagency Assessment immediate reconstruction is highest and most A Report released this month, existing critical in Hafun due to its location and exposure emergency responses in the form of health, to high winds. OCHA’s Mid Term Review (MTR) of water, shelter, non food items and food have the Indian Ocean Earthquake that caused the largely met immediate humanitarian needs. tsunami in December 2004 notes that the people About 5% of the total population of Hafun require urgent support for outright re- (around 2,200 people) are in a state of hu- construction of destroyed permanent houses. manitarian emergency and 40% of the total Some operational agencies, such as UNICEF, FAO, population (17,600 people) face livelihood UNHCR and UN-HABITAT, have already planned crisis. This is based on the Food and Liveli- recovery activities with existing funds. The re- hood Security Classification developed for the maining tsunami recovery needs that require Tsunami context. At least 50% of the assessed funding will be addressed through the MTR of existing emergency population (22,000 people) require sustained the Somalia CAP. responses in the resource transfer in the form of food and/or In view of the changes in the humanitar- form of health, wa- cash assistance until the next fishing season in ian context and in light of progress achieved, ter, shelter, non October 2005. there is now a need to focus on the humanitarian food items and food needs of other vulnerable communities through- have largely met access out Somalia. With attention diverted toward the immediate humani- This is necessary in order for house- tsunami, other life-saving projects in the CAP tarian needs. holds to access basic food needs and alleviate aimed at other equally, if not more vulnerable severe financial pressures due to reduced fish- groups, risk being jeopardised. ing incomes. It is also contigent on the fisher- In reference to the Somalia CAP 2005, men having access to fishing equipment in the MTR notes that livelihood insecurity and time for the next fishing season. overall vulnerability persist in numerous regions Local communities were affected by of Somalia, in addition to the tsunami-affected six different shocks over the past year areas.