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(January-March) and with the poor gu rain forecast of the THIS ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS: National Metrological Services. Worrying indications of an • REGIONAL OVERVIEW escalating emergency such as increasing mortality of • AVIAN INFLUENZA IN ETHIOPIA livestock, malnutrition, and sky-rocketing prices of staple • RELIEF FOOD AND NON-FOOD UPDATE food prevail. The situation has forced significant numbers of • UPCOMING & ONGOING MEETINGS people to resort to extreme distress strategies of street begging, over-selling of basic assets, slaughtering of weak Focus on Ethiopia is produced by UN Office for the animals and killing of calves to cope up with the disaster. Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in The closure of local schools following the low attendance collaboration with other UN agencies and partner NGOs. rate is another social consequence of the drought. Wild Focus on Ethiopia provides a monthly overview of animals are violently attacking people and livestock in parts humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, as well as of and Korahe. This is triggered by the competition focusing on particular issues of interest. Send comments, for the scarce water and other resources. suggestions and contributions to [email protected] The livestock situation particularly in the three zones (Afder, Liben and Gode) is critical. Massive cattle deaths REGIONAL OVERVIEW are reported from the three woredas. The death of 35,000 and 45,000 livestock is reported in Liben and Afder zones SOMALI respectively. A serious shortage of feed and water coupled Of the identified 1.7 million beneficiaries in the critically with increasing outbreaks of animal disease are causing affected pastoral and agro-pastoral areas of the country, the deaths. The situation is aggravated by the cross border 1.5 million are in . In this region there are migration of livestock from Kenya and . 640,000 people that require emergency water Competition for the scarce resources-water and pasture interventions. The most affected zones are Afder, Liben has already led to serious clan conflict, particularly in and parts of Gode zone. woreda (Warder zone) and Bare woreda (). Even though the humanitarian emergency has received attention from the government and humanitarian partners All nutritional surveys conducted in the region, especially in since late 2005, interventions still could not avert the Gode, Afder and Liben, so far reveal critical malnutrition situation from deteriorating. The situation is expected to with high under five mortality rates. Diarrhea is the main become further perilous with the advancing dry jilal season causes of death for children under five. Vaccination rates remain below international standards and should be further

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

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improved through regular vaccination and supplementation campaigns by the health bureau. Access to health facilities The United Nations Country Team's Recovery Programme is very poor in most woredas. Hygiene practices are also moved the last caseload of IDPs comprising approximately extremely poor. Meanwhile, an emergency measles 1,414 individuals (237 Households) from Fafen camp to campaign (integrated with EOS) is underway in 25 zone in the region. The strategy aims at woredas, aiming to reach 313,663 under-five children. As repatriating and reintegrating 6,000 IDPs from Hartisheik expected, the challenges to attain the necessary coverage and Fafen camps to their place of origin in Somali Region. are substantial and a preliminary coverage assessment will be done as soon as possible to determine whether IDPs from other zones in Somali Region still remain in the follow-up actions will be necessary. A measles campaign two camps. The UNCT is now looking at post return integrated with polio in the 26 non-EOS woredas is activities especially livelihood strategies and interventions scheduled to commence on 24 March. A house to house to ensure the sustenance reintegration of the IDPs in polio campaign for the region is scheduled for 24 March. Degehabur.

The Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency CONCERN OVER THE FUTURE OF THE JARAR (DPPA) continues to dispatch emergency food aid for 1.5 VALLEY WATER SYSTEM million people. WFP reports that the food dispatches UNHCR recently reported that the future of the Jarar during January and early February have not been as fast Valley water system, which is presently serving 38,909 as planned due to limited transport capacity. In order to people, including more than 15,000 Somali refugees, increase the dispatch rate, DPPA has engaged their is concerning. The project is based in Kebribeyah, the emergency transport fleet, and the Road Transport only remaining camp in eastern Ethiopia after eight Authority is coordinating the commercial transport fleet for others were closed following successful repatriation priority loads to the drought-affected areas. As of 6 March, activities. The agency reports the pumping capacity is the DPPA has completed transporting 21,395 tonnes 50 percent of the theoretical capacity of the wells and (74%) of food from the food allocations of 29,100 tonnes the pumps and other equipment are ageing, causing made in January. WFP is providing a full food basket and occasional interruptions of service. The US$ 4 million supplementary food for 35 percent of beneficiaries worth of water system was originally installed by the regarded as the most vulnerable groups in the region. agency to support more than 173,000 people DPPA has now taken additional measures in order to composed of Somali refugees in Kebribeyah and ensure delivery of relief food to the intended beneficiaries. Hartisheik camps, the local communities in both towns, These measures include regular radio broadcasts the communities of the Jarar Valley and people living informing beneficiaries of food allocations and their along the route of the pipeline. Over the years, the entitlements, deployment of DPPA monitoring teams to the refugees in Hartisheik returned to their homes but worst drought-affected areas, deployment of military those originating from south and central Somalia convoys to follow trucks carrying relief food to particular remained waiting for conditions to improve. To ease "hotspot" areas, and the establishment of committees at the lives of both the last refugees and the local woreda level to control the receipt of food. WFP has communities, the agency is supporting the region and increased its monitoring capacity by hiring new food aid woreda administrations in building their managerial monitors and field assistants. capacity to take over the scheme. There is also a need for further discussions and negotiations to get a proper Thirty percent of the water schemes are not functioning and sustainable management system in place. and there is an immediate need to rehabilitate them. The Contact: [email protected] Ministry of Water Resources has identified 50 sites for emergency drilling, 20 of which were set as priorities. Oromiya Competitive bidding has begun and the budget is secured. While the situation in Borena zone continues to deteriorate Somali DPPB identified 42 hotspot areas (recently from a lack of water and food, other areas are also increased from 39) for water tankering. The region has seriously affected, according to the regional Food Security now deployed 20 trucks for tankering and preparation is and Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission. completed to deploy additional 18 trucks. Humanitarian East Shewa (Fantale woreda); East Hararghe (Fedis, partners including UNICEF, ICRC, ACF and OXFAM GB Meyu, Jarso, Chinaksen, Golo Oda, Babile and Gursum); have deployed 59 water trucks to provide tankering West Hararghe (Boke, Kuni, Doba, Chiro and Mieso); Arsi activities. (Merti and Robe) and Bale (Rayitu, Seweyna and Guradamole) are also seriously suffering from the failure of There is need to focus on saving livestock as it is the base the belg rains and severe shortage of water. asset of the pastoralist and agro-pastoralist population of the region. The USAID led Pastoralist Livelihood The meher assessment in November 2005 has identified Initiatives’ (PLI) de-stocking plan proposes to hold 60,000 733,780 emergency beneficiaries requiring emergency food shoats and 4,000 cattle affected by drought in six sites, assistance for the first six months in the region. 155,000 of providing them with feed. Other partners including FAO, those beneficiaries are in Borena zone. There is a severe ICRC, IRC, and Save the Children USA are actively shortage of water and pasture for livestock in the zone and involved in livestock interventions such as vaccination and critical water shortage is reported in Dire, Teltale, Moyale treatment. and Arero woredas. Meanwhile, due to the rapid deterioration of the overall food and humanitarian situation

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

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in the lowland areas of the zone, a joint rapid assessment of budget and drugs. CARE has started distribution of mission conducted by the zonal offices and NGOs working supplementary food in Moyale and Dire woredas in Borena in the area in mid-February indicates that the number of zone after conducting nutritional surveys in the area which affected beneficiaries may have doubled from the number revealed a poor situation: 10.0% GAM and 1.1% SAM in estimated by the meher assessment team. The results of Dire; 10.9% GAM and 1.0% SAM in Moyale; and 6.1% the assessment are being forwarded to DPPA. GAM and 0.3% SAM in Teltele. World Vision and GOAL also reported 5.5% GAM, 0.6% SAM in Arero woreda. International Medical Corps is providing supplementary feeding in Dire and Mi’oo woredas. EOS, integrated with measles is scheduled to start on 24 March in Borena, Guji and Bale zones.

Terms of trade is not in favor of the pastoralists as the grain price is sky-rocketing and price of livestock is very low. This decrease in price of livestock is due to access problem to market sites and poor quality of the animals. Most animals are too weak to be brought to the markets and even if they make it they are unable to attract traders as their condition is very poor. There were also reports of outbreaks in Black Leg, CCPP, FMD, Anthrax, LSD, Trypanosomiasis, diarrhea and tick born diseases. Livestock deaths and emaciated cattle are on the rise resulting in pastoralists walking hundreds of kilometers in search of better pasture, often into Kenya. Likewise severe drought conditions on the A pastoralist, Obbo Alake, aged 70, said, “the current drought is other side of the border have forced Kenyans to move into the worst I have ever seen in my lifetime and is the most horrible one in which cattle get emaciated and drop one by one Borena with their livestock putting additional pressure on at water points” fast depleting resources. Meanwhile, NGOs are facilitating private traders to off take pressure on the scarce As of 6 February, Borena zone received 5,646 tonnes of resources. Currently CARE has facilitated the off-take of emergency food out of the 6,000 tonnes allocated in 5,000 livestock from Borena zone. January. The FSCB has allocated food for the PSNP beneficiaries but DPPA is yet to distribute it. This means that there is not enough food for whole community. In addition to the full food basket of cereals, pulses and vegetable oil, WFP is providing fortified blended food for 35 percent of the beneficiaries considered to be particularly vulnerable. Meanwhile, there is a considerable dropout of students, especially in schools without school feeding programmes. In Moyale woreda, 15 percent (727 out of 4,884 students) of the students dropped out of 13 schools that do not have school feeding programmes. Regarding non-food response, too little has been done so far to reach the affected people. Currently, only one water truck is operating in all the affected woredas providing an average of half a litre of water per person every five to seven days. Similarly, in Fantale woreda one water truck is operating, while there are none in East Hararghe. As a result, in two kebeles of Jarso woreda two people were killed and 117 households (661 people) were displaced in a community clash at a water point in January 2006.

In regards to health services, there is serious shortage of skilled man power and consequently many health posts are closed, particularly in Borena zone. More than 33 percent of health facilities in the affected woredas are closed due to lack of staff, while the remaining facilities operate under severe shortages of qualified health At Segaborde in Moyale woreda, Borena zone, two girls race to fill their jerrycans with the first water delivered by a tanker in 10 practitioners. There is a serious shortage of drugs, days. Mud formed around the well as jerrycans were tipped logistics capacity, and medical equipment. Outbreaks of over in the crush. Women spend their time traveling between malaria, diarrhea, and cases of meningitis are reported. distribution sites so that they do not have to wait another 10 days to fill their jerrycans. The water tanker that delivers in this Vaccination has started to contain the meningitis cases in district is leaking; the driver tries to fix it at night but the bumpy Teltele woreda; however it is inadequate due to shortage roads take their toll.

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

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Meanwhile, Borena zone is suffering from a lack of AFAR coordination at all levels and among different partners requires due attention as it could rapidly face a working in the zone, due in part to the recent re-zoning crisis situation similar to the other pastoral areas of the (the previous Borena zone was split into Borena and Guji country. Most of the food insecure populations in the region zones), high staff turnover, and other priorities for officials. are to be covered by the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP). The Food Security Coordination Bureau has The region reports that displacement is a persistent allocated food aid for 472,266 beneficiaries of the PSNP for problem in West Hararghe zone and to date there are all the five zones of the region. Safety net food transfers 39,371 and 14,564 IDPs in Mieso and Doba woredas have started but dispatches are moving slowly. After some respectively in relation to the Somali/Oromiya referendum delay, the region has now submitted its utilisation report for related conflict. previously allocated relief food resources, prompting the allocation of 800 tonnes of relief food for 54,600 beneficiaries for February; dispatches have started. Following the failed December rains, the region now awaits the next rainy season from mid-March to April which is forecasted to be below normal.

WFP’s recent mission to the region indicated that the humanitarian situation in all woredas of zone 2 and parts of zone 4 is deteriorating due to the lack of water and pasture. This is resulting in large scale livestock migration to other woredas such as Mile and woredas in zone 1 and in zone 4, and adjacent woredas in Amhara and Tigray regions. Teru is now sheltering a large number of livestock because of its vast dry season grazing ground. However, the pastures are reportedly depleting fast. The mission reported that livestock condition is declining and some were too weak to move. Two rivers in Ab Ala, zone 2 and and rivers in Zone 4 have already dried up which is considered unusual. Relief water distribution is underway only in Teru woreda by the region using two trucks. There is no water trucking operation elsewhere. According to information from zonal officials, interventions for improving water availability for human consumption appear to be relatively better in , and woredas. The mission reported pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea as the major human health threats. In addition, there are increasing incidences of scabies and trachoma among children in Abaala woreda. According to a health expert in the woreda, measles has been observed in at least two kebeles. Livestock disease such as CCPP, At Tuka Mazoria in Moyale woreda, Borena zone, women and scabies-like skin diseases, blackleg and pasteurolisis are children walk five to seven kilometers on average to and from also reported from the zones. A significant increase in the distribution centre, where they wait to fill their jerrycans prices of staple foods compared to last year’s was reported from a pillowtank. The nearby pond, Kyetila, where people from while prices of livestock have decreased due to their poor the area used to get water, is now completely dry. physical condition. Meanwhile, GOAL in collaboration with the Afar Regional DPPB commenced a three-month targeted supplementary food distribution for approximately REPORTS OF RAIN IN THE DROUGHT AFFECTED 16,000 beneficiaries in woreda of zone 2 in AREAS - SOMALI REGION AND BORENA ZONE response to the alarming malnutrition rate it identified in Some showers of rain have reportedly been falling in October 2005. Gode woreda of Gode zone (on 25 February) and in Moyale, Hudet and Filtu woredas of (from In mid February Afar Pastoralist Development Association’s 25-27 February) in Somali Region. Light rainfall has (APDA) relief assessment team visited and also been reported in Kabridehar, Shilabo, woredas in zone 1 and reported that the water situation in and woredas of in Somali the woredas is critical. The woredas suffer chronic water Region and in Borena zone of Oromiya Region. While shortage but the problem is exacerbated by the lack of the rainfall is bringing some relief to the water shortage rains which is forcing people to walk long distances. People of the communities, it is too early to estimate whether in Aba’a and Gensero kebeles in Elidar woreda have to this indicates the beginning of the gu rainfall season, walk 24 hours to get water. All 18 kebeles in Elidar woreda which usually is from late-March to early-June. are dry, aside from Immino town where underground river water is found. The DPPB and FSCB were hiring a tanker to fill community owned birkas once in 3 days. This stopped

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

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in early January due to lack of funds. The situation is Natural Resources Bureau will hold a meeting on 10 and 11 exacerbated by the fact that people cannot sell their March in Semera (capital of the region) to discuss livestock animals due to their poor condition and several animal and other key issues with all partners working in the region. disease outbreaks. In Dubti woreda, for an estimated 35,000 people in a area extending some 300 kilometers AMHARA south west to north east in the remote sectors of the An OCHA team together with government partners has woreda, has only three water sources. One of the sources assessed the humanitarian situation in Amhara Region is a retention dam that APDA constructed in 2000. It has from 31 January to 15 February 2006. The mission’s main only days before it totally dries up. The other two sources objective was to assess the humanitarian situation in are traditional wells. To reach these three points, the drought and landslide affected areas and to follow up on community has to walk between 2 - 28 hours. For the last progress made by the government and other partners two months, no more than minimal water intake is following the recommendations of the joint UN mission to afforded. Animals are already dying especially in Musle, west Amhara resettlement sites in November 2005. The Lubak Daa and Dagaba kebels in Dubti. People in Guyah team reported that almost half of the settlers have not are buying a jerrycan of water for 10.00 birr from Bargaale remained in the resettlement sites. So far the government dam – which is now highly contaminated. In response, the has no controlling mechanism in place to screen people but Government is sending a tanker to Guluble once every has acknowledged the problem. Meanwhile, the regional three days while APDA has constructed some 17 birkas Food Security Programme Coordination and Disaster accessible by road on the Sardo to road. APDA’s Response Office (FSPCDPO) has shown an interest to team recommended for three water tankers to be allocated form a regional resettlement forum which could involve the for each Elidar and Dupti woredas for at least two months wider humanitarian agencies (UN, donors, NGOs, etc) for depending on the onset of rains. APDA has also constructive discussion and information exchange that conducted a house-to-house measles campaign to contain enables agencies to help avert possible humanitarian the outbreak however diarrhea and whooping cough are crises in the future. prevalent. Although there is no obvious child malnutrition to date, it could be inevitable as the main diet is Preparation for 2006 resettlement is ongoing in host areas. exclusively grain. Activities underway include: consultations with the hosting

community, road construction, transporting food and household items, surveying works to delineate settlers housing and farm sites, water point development, establishing satellite health posts, etc. The regional council has decided to resettle 50,000 households but the RFSPCDO says the number could reduce and the main focus in 2006 will be on consolidating works in old settlement sites.

A landslide in Tarma Ber woreda in North Shewa zone was first reported in early September 2005 affecting Shotel Amba, Ezeba Woyin and Sina kebeles. The effect of the slide was serious in Ezeba Woyin and Shotel Amba. Since September, more than 4,000 people were displaced and one person died. 900 ha of farmlands, one primary school and more than 1,000 houses were destroyed. Some 124 students have also been forced to dropout. The woreda DPPA requested general food for 4,000 people and supplementary food assistance for 1,400 children and FOA carried out a mission from 19 - 24 February to verify pregnant/nursing mothers for five months. According to the that there is an early migration of livestock from different regional FSPCDPO food for 3,000 people for five months is parts of Afar to Cheffa valley in Amhara Region. The already included in the Appeal and distribution will start this migration of mainly cattle from Afar to this area has month. However, the request made in the Appeal did not become normal at times when livestock feed declines include requirements for the increasing numbers of the during the dry seasons. According to the pastoralists, landslide victims. Consequently, the regional FSPCDPO migration to Cheffa at normal years starts at the beginning has made an official request to DPPA to get a complete of March however it started a month early this year. food ration for the landslide affected people for two months Thousands of cattle were seen spread in the area from and the bureau will continue to review upcoming needs. Mile, Chira , , , Aura and Gulina woredas of Afar Region. The mission reported conflict over GAMBELLA resources between the residents and the new comers. The The water and pasture situation in the region is normal and mission recommends to mitigate the potential conflicts the forecast for the upcoming rains is good. However, through joint discussion between all concerned and security is still a concern, with continued conflict reported. provision of feed to livestock at their original places to In Nuer zone, more than 3,000 people were displaced to reduce migrations. FOA together with Livestock, Crop and Nyinenyag due to inter-clan conflict. The DPP&FS office

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has transported and distributed food items to the displaced SNNPR people. The food security situation is normal in most parts of the region with the exception of areas in central and eastern The overall health situation in the region is a concern due lowland parts where delayed implementation of PSNP has to a shortage of skilled man-power, high staff turnover resulted in humanitarian concerns. Unusual rains were rates, and poor health service utilisation and access received for a few days this month in most parts of the problems. Campaigns are used as a means to provide region, but it is too early to conclude their contribution to routine health services. Accordingly, the regional health the overall food security situation. The forecast shows that bureau, in collaboration with UNICEF, WFP, and other the upcoming belg rains will be normal in most parts of the NGOs working in the region, completed the necessary region except in South Omo where it is expected to be arrangements for the upcoming Enhanced Outreach below normal. Strategy (EOS) campaign which will be implemented in mid March, 2006 in all woredas of the region. The A rapid assessment undertaken by DPPB in January 2006 campaign which targets 23,184 children from (6-59 in Hulla woreda of Sidama zone showed a relative increase months old) and 5,182 pregnant and nursing women in the level of malnutrition, particularly in 12 kebeles (with includes vitamin A supplementation, de-worming, more than 8,000 people) in the woreda. Due to the screening for malnutrition and distribution of Insecticide recurrent prevalence of high malnutrition in these kebeles Treated Nets (ITNs). Of the total, around 3,150 children, and the lowland areas of the woreda, it was decided that pregnant and nursing women are planned to receive the woreda should be included under the EOS/CSI targeted supplementary food. For this campaign, UNICEF programme and for SC/US to continue its CTC. Currently allocated US$ 52,300. EOS is conducting nutritional screening and measles vaccination and providing vitamin A supplementation and Water and sanitation related problems are among the those with malnutrition will receive supplementary food major concerns in Gambella Region. Villagers used to from WFP. walk on average 20 – 25 km a day to access river water. In response UNICEF in collaboration with its Government The Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 740 cases of bureaus drilled 10 shallow wells that became operational meningitis from October 2005 to 20 February 2006, with 23 this month in Jikawo woreda, Nuer zone which has a deaths in seven zones of the region (Gamo Gofa, Kembata population of 113,900. Tembaro, South Omo, Welayita, Dawro, Sidama and Gedeo). Even though the outbreak was expected in areas Meanwhile, the first repatriation of Sudanese refugees is falling within the meningitis belt due to the change in the scheduled to commence from Bonga camp in Gambella climate with long dry season, this year’s occurrence was Region with 10,000 registered volunteers in mid-March two months earlier than normal. To contain the outbreak after the signing of the tripartite agreement between the Regional Health Bureau has undertaken preventive UNHCR and Ethiopia and Sudanese Governments on 27 mass vaccinations. More than 296,000 people in the February. Only about 4,500 refugees will be repatriated epidemic areas have been vaccinated so far. In addition, between the end of March and mid May. UNHCR has also MSF has began working with the MoH, providing been undertaking ground preparation for the repatriation medications (oily chloramphenicol and Ceftriaxone) and the refugees. So far, non-food items to the repatriating treatment protocol training to medical personnel at health refugees are procured, a transportation company has centers. A vaccination campaign which targets more than been selected to move the refuges and mine risk 200,000 people (everyone between the ages of 2 and 30) education has been implemented in the camp. There are has also been initiated to contain the epidemic. The first 74,300 Sudanese refugees that are currently living in the round campaign to vaccinate 100,000 people was launched five camps in western Ethiopia. on 12 February.

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

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AVIAN INFLUENZA IN ETHIOPIA

The Ethiopian Government has confirmed the presence of the Avian Flu virus in the country. 6,800 chickens on a Government commercial farm, 160 km southwest of Addis Ababa were found dead last week. Tests have confirmed they are H5 positive but further tests in Italy will show whether it is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. Government authorities have incinerated the remaining 9,000 chickens in the farm and there is an embargo on chicken and poultry products within a 60 km radius of the farm. It is thought that the virus was brought into the farm by workers from a nearby town where backyard chicken deaths have been reported from a month ago. Reports of further outbreaks in other commercial farms are being investigated as well as reports of dead flamingos near Ziway. In response, organisational arrangements at all levels need to be strengthened. Institutional arrangements to strengthen rapid surveillance and quick interventions will be agreed with the Government early next week. Resources are urgently needed to strengthen animal heath prevention, human health prevention, resource mobilisation, and advocacy and communication.

Avian Influenza (H5N1) Risk Analysis for Ethiopia

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs

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FOOD AND NON-FOOD UPDATE

The resource situation for the "non-food" sectors of the 2006 Humanitarian Appeal (health and nutrition, water and environmental sanitation, agriculture, disaster response and coordination) remains critical, with confirmed contributions only covering around 23.2 percent of requirements as of 6 March. US$ 8 million is under negotiation from OFDA and Sweden. US$ 11.3 million is still urgently needed to respond to the drought crisis.

The overall resource situation for relief food for WFP remains encouraging. There are also indications of bilateral contributions for local purchase of relief food for 2006 to the DPPA. The current estimate of food requirements for relief rations and blanket/targeted supplementary feeding is 375,000 tonnes under the 2006 Joint Government and Humanitarian Partners Appeal, and 286,407 tonnes (78 percent) is already covered by carryover stocks and confirmed contributions currently in transit. As a result, relief food requirements are covered until the end of May. Further contributions will have to be confirmed to cover requirements beyond May and additional food requirements for the July-December period are anticipated following the belg season and pastoral areas assessment in June. There was a concern about the supplies of fortified blended food - such as Corn Soya Blend (CSB) and famix - but WFP estimates that the combination of local production, re-blending, and CSB in-transit should be able to keep pace with the requirements and dispatches of blanket supplementary food as well as for targeted supplementary feeding. WFP's estimations are based on forecasts of production performance from local factories and scheduled arrival of vessels.

For more Information contact: [email protected] and [email protected]

TOTAL FOOD REQUIREMENTS (Food and Supplementary Food Component of EOS) 366,413 tonnes TOTAL CONTRIBUTIONS 286,407 tonnes FUNDED 78%

TOTAL NON-FOOD REQUIREMENTS US$ 111,014,995 2006 contributions: Agriculture US$ 1,479,324 Health and Nutrition US$ 23,590,119 Water and Sanitation US$ 702,480 Disaster Response / Capacity Strengthening - Overall Coordination -

GRAND TOTAL US$ 25,771,923 FUNDED 23.2%

Events of Note Emergency Food and Cash Reserve Status

March 6 - 7 Ethiopian Drought Insurance Project The Emergency Food Security Reserve (EFSR) reports Workshop, Hotel De Leopol, 234,205.45 tonnes stock on hand, 95,383 tonnes stock 0900hrs, organised by WFP under withdrawal, and 75,416.4 tonnes outstanding loans as of 07 March 2006. EFSR also provides non-food items March 7- 8 Workshop on Population and on returnable basis. Contact: Alemayehu Asfaw, Housing Census 2007, UNCC, 0115-500995 0830hrs, organised by UNFPA

March 8 Horn of Africa Regional Appeal The National Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Workshop, Nairobi, Kenya Fund Administration (NDPPFA) offers US$ 13.3 million in organised by OCHA Regional Office loans to fill financial gaps during early stage of emergencies. Contact: Tamru Ayana, 0115 53 8343

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Ethiopian Migrants and Smuggling in Puntland Upcoming and Ongoing Meetings (Monthly Humanitarian Situation for Somalia, December 2005 – January 2006) March 6 Donor’s Coordination Group Meeting, Hilton Hotel, 1200hrs With continued smuggling occurring from Puntland to Yemen and the Gulf States, the number of Ethiopians Avian Flu, Nigeria Lounge, ECA arriving in Bossaso continues to augment. In December, compound, 1600hrs (UN/ World Bank an IOM mission, followed by representatives from the meeting)

Nairobi based IDP/Protection Working Group, traveled to March 7, 21 Strategic Disaster Management Team Bossaso to discuss the issue with the Puntland authorities (SDMT), WFP Conference Room, and look into the feasibility of providing a “one-off” 0900hrs (UN internal meeting) assistance to facilitate the return of those Ethiopians who wished to go home. Discussions indicated that such March 8 Early Warning Working Group assistance was not feasible, however, without there being Meeting, DPPA, 1000 hrs (Open to commitment and measures to combat smuggling first on all)

the part of the Somali authorities. On 13 January, 378 March 8, 22 Multi-Agency Nutrition Task Force Ethiopian migrants were detained in Sanaag region (MANTF) meeting, DPPA, 1400hrs (Puntland) by the military police as they were attempting (Open to all) to walk to Bossaso. Aid agencies in the area found the group in a dire situation with no food or water. The group Avian Flu Meeting, Nigeria Lounge, was eventually released and transported to Bossaso ECA compound, 1430hrs (UN/ World where they were included in a WFP/DRC emergency food Bank meeting) assistance programme for the migrants which had commenced in November 2005. The arrival of the group Food Aid Task Force Meeting, DPPA, 0900hrs (Open to all) highlighted again the need for all authorities concerned to take responsibility for curbing the smuggling in order for March 10, 17, 24, 31 UN Department of Safety & Security any return operation being looked into by the aid Meeting, 0930 hrs, (UN Internal) community to be successful. According to UNHCR in Yemen, the death toll of people smuggled from Bossaso March 10, 24 Health and Nutrition Task Force Meeting, MoH, 1400hrs (Open to all) to Yemen is rising. Two boats capsized off the Yemeni coast on 21 and 22 January: the first carried 128 people, March 14, 28 Water & Sanitation Task Force Meeting, of which only five survived, while the second carried 128, MoWR, 1000hrs (Open to all) with only 46 survivors. The travelers are not only Ethiopian. In the last two weeks of January, 32 boats were March 15, 29 Agriculture Task Force Meeting, MoARD, 0900hrs (Open to all) registered by the Yemen authorities. During the same period, some 1,300 and 70 Ethiopians were March 30 Technical Information Management registered as newcomers by UNHCR. The influx came Exchange (TIME), DPPA, 1000hrs after a break over the Christmas period due to bad (Open to all) weather conditions and is said to have increased because of the drought affecting the Horn, which smugglers are Regional Meetings taking full advantage of. These figures unlikely give a correct understanding of the situation as more people than March 9, 16, 23, 30 Regional Technical Emergency Task those registered are actually arriving in Yemen; they are Force Meeting, Jijiga, 0900hrs (Open just not registering. Somalis, for example, are granted to all)

automatic refugee status, while Ethiopians are not. Near March 10, 11 Afar Regional Livestock Emergency Bossaso, boats leave with reported regularity. In some Coordination Meeting, Semera, locations, two to three boats leave every night between 0900hrs (Open to all) ten at night and two in the morning. Both Somalis and Ethiopians are found waiting for boats, sometimes for March 11, 18, 25 Regional Crisis Management days which places them, particularly women, at risk of Committee Meeting, Jijiga, 0900hrs attack by militia. Higher numbers of Somalis from (Regional cabinet) Mogadishu waiting to make the crossing have been noted. At the feeding sites in Bossaso, new Ethiopian faces are March 13, 20, 27 Livestock Task Force Meeting, Jijiga, seen replacing old ones every day. Aid partners are now 0900hrs (Open to all) look into facilitating a meeting among authorities from March 7, 14, 21, 28 Health & Nutrition Task Force Ethiopia, Yemen, and Somali to look into ways of Meeting, Jijiga, 0900hrs (Open to all) addressing and combating smuggling, while in parallel conducting a wider information media campaign to raise March 8, 15, 22, 29 Water & Sanitation Task Force awareness on the problem. UNHCR is donating vehicles Meeting, Jijiga, 0900hrs (Open to all) to the authorities to patrol the coastline, while IOM is considering a small field presence to facilitate voluntary March 14, 28 Borena Zonal Coordination Meeting, return of Ethiopians. The WFP/DRC humanitarian feeding 0900hrs (Open to all) programme will continue until the end of February at which time it is anticipated that IOM will have established its March 21 Somali Regional Coordination presence. UNHCR just sent in a film-crew to Bossaso to Meeting, Jijiga, 0900 hrs (Open to all) develop footage for an international information campaign, March 23 Gode Zonal Coordination Meeting, including for Ethiopia on the hardships faced by those who Gode, 0900hrs (Open to all) attempt to make the crossing.

A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs