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IFRC East Africa Regional Representation Operations Red Cross/Red Crescent Operations Update Update Th May 9 , 2012

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IFRC East Africa Regional Representation Operations Red Cross/Red Crescent Operations Update Update Th May 9 , 2012 IFRC East Africa Regional Representation Operations Red Cross/Red Crescent Operations Update Update th May 9 , 2012 The East African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are currently assisting people affected by recent regional developments including insecurity in the transitional areas between Sudan and South Sudan, flooding in Rwanda and Kenya, and the internal and external displacement of people fleeing insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and South/Central Somalia. The following provides an update of humanitarian developments in eastern Africa and the Red Cross/Red Crescent response. REGIONAL HUMANITARIAN UPDATE In Sudan and South Sudan, fighting in South Kordofan, Nuba, Southern Blue Nile, and Heiglig has obstructed the return of approximately 350,000 South Sudanese returnees. Conflict has deescalated following the signing of the African Union roadmap on the 4th May. The Sudanese government also agreed to grant emergency travel documents to 12,000 – 15,000 South Sudanese who have been stranded in Kosti, White Nile State, and postpone the deadline for South Sudanese to leave Sudan, from May 5th to May 20th. Currently, the food security situation is comparable to that of 2009, but humanitarian agencies should be vigilant of a sudden reescalation of conflict, combined with hyperinflation. The fragile progress made in Somalia has been blighted by a series of suicide bombs, grenades, and mortar shell attacks. At least 45 civilians have been killed by bombs in Mogadishu (April 4th and 6th) in Baidoa (April 9th) in Dusamareb (May 1st) and by a mortar shell attack in Mogadishu (May 8th). Somali refugees arriving in Dollo Ado report that they are fleeing ongoing insecurity in southern/central areas, according to UNHCR. Rains have begun in the northern areas of the country. Southern/central agropastoral and inland rainfed cropping areas of Somalia are expected to experience deteriorating food insecurity due to anticipated poor Gu crop production in July, according to FEWSNET. Currently, there are nowhere near the levels of stress that the area saw last year. The former CNDP leader Bosco Ntaganda in Democratic Republic of Congo launched a failed mutiny prompting President Kabila to openly call for his arrest, prompting fighting between the army and rebels in the east. As a result, 5,800 people have been displaced into neighboring Uganda. Cholera outbreaks in Nebbi Hoima and Buliisa districts of Uganda have pushed the total number of cases recorded by the Uganda Red Cross Society to 477. Nodding disease continues to afflict people in the north of the country, The syndrome, which started in 2009, in Kitgum, Lamwo and Pader districts has so far affected over 3,000 children aged between 5 and 15 years with 170 deaths. Heavy and erratically distributed rain is causing flooding in areas of Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Uganda, damaging infrastructure and displacing thousands. In Kenya, forty people have died and forty-two are missing as a result of flooding. The Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) estimate that approximated 60,000 people are now affected. In Rwanda, the Rwanda Red Cross Society estimate that another 11,000 people are affected. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 2 I OPERATIONAL UPDATE/ East Africa / 9 May 2012 Excess rain is welcome by pastoralists in arid lands to regenerate pasture, but damaging for marginal agricultural farmers. According to FEWSNET, the food security situation for marginal agricultural farmers in the southeastern and coastal marginal agricultural parts of the region is likely to deteriorate. Photo: Kenya Red Cross Society IFRC EAST AFRICA REPRESENTATION UPDATE East African Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are currently receiving technical and financial support from the IFRC East Africa Representation (IFRC EA), and Partner National Societies1 in Nairobi. The IFRC Africa Zone has adopted a new structure and IFRC EA will now directly support 11 countries2 across the eastern Africa region. In response to recent humanitarian developments in March and April, IFRC EA requested the Geneva secretariat to release funds from the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to respond to floods in Rwanda (CHF 150,188), floods in Kenya (CHF 314,000) and a cholera outbreak in Uganda (CHF 204,815). All have been approved. An emergency assessment will take place in the next few weeks in South Sudan to support their appeal, and a Regional Disaster Response Team alert has been issued. In line with the aim to secure strategic partnerships and resources for East Africa National Societies: • Partnership meetings for the Rwanda, Burundi, and Ethiopia Red Cross Societies were held in March and April to share their respective 2012 plans with the movement and appeal for support. IFRC and ICRC are currently attending a cooperation meeting with Djibouti Red Crescent Society (May 8th - 9th). IFRC also facilitated a Red Cross Network meeting on Marh 22nd bringing together all Secretary Generals from East Africa National Societies, and the AGM on the March 23rd March. • The world’s largest cross-sector humanitarian partnership with Coca-Cola has been secured to fund Red Cross/Red Crescent disaster preparedness and response activities around Africa. IFRC facilitated a th th meeting Nairobi with representative from Coca-Cola and African National Societies on April 25 – 26 . 1 British, Swedish, German, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, American, Netherlands, Japanese, Australian Red Cross Societies 2 Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 3 I OPERATIONAL UPDATE/ East Africa / 9 May 2012 • A partnership with Land Rover has been secured to raise GBP 1 million for Water and Sanitation (WATSAN) activities for the Ugandan Red Cross Society (URCS). So far, £250,000 has been mobilised to IFRC EA to support URCS WATSAN activities. • IFRC are facilitating a partnership between Luxembourg and Belgium Red Cross to support emergency WATSAN training and preparedness in Kenya and Burundi. • IFRC and the Red Cross Society of Eritrea have been invited to submit a proposal to improve the standard of urban sanitation, which will be supported by the Danish, Netherlands, and German Red Cross Societies. • IFRC has taken over the coordination of the Lake Victoria Programme from the Swedish Red Cross. The cross-border programme with Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda Red Cross Societies, is improving the quality of life for millions of people around the Lake Victoria Basin, addressing poverty-related areas in health care, disaster preparedness, risk reduction and self-reliance. The Secretary Generals from National Societies are planning a meeting with the East Africa Community (EAC) in Arusha to promote the programme and look for partnerships. In line with the aim to roll out technology to improve data collection, volunteer mobilization, and expand reach and speed of messages to volunteers and beneficiaries: • Mobile phone equipment was provided, and technology trainings were conducted with the Rwanda and Burundi Red Cross Societies between 16th and 27th April, with support from DFID. • In Burundi, 24 people were trained. In Rwanda, 16 people were trained on how to use and integrate mobile technology (MST and TERA) into their humanitarian operations. The main objective of the training was to develop episurveyor skills to design forms, collect data using mobile phones and be able analyze data and create reports for evidence based decision-making. In line with IFRC efforts to evaluate impact, emphasise humanitarian efficiency, quality and effectiveness of operations: • IFRC EA has commissioned the mid programme evaluation of the Kenya Drought response 2011 to an external consulting firm, which will be conducted in the next few weeks. • An M&E assessment mission was conducted at the Tanzania Red Cross, to streamline and improve their standard of reporting and evaluation. • IFRC and UNOCHA co-hosted a three-day event in Mombasa to address the current regulatory challenges related to the delivery of food aid and humanitarian assistance, and promote established ‘IDRL guidelines’ (Guidelines for the Domestic Facilitation and Regulation of International Disaster Relief and Initial Recovery Assistance). Major humanitarian organisations working in Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti, South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda attended the event, from National Red Cross and Red Crescent societies to UN agencies such as WFP and NGOs such as Save the Children. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 4 I OPERATIONAL UPDATE/ East Africa / 9 May 2012 On May 8th, East Africa National Societies celebrated World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day. Celebrations took place across the region in line with this year’s theme Youth on the Move (Kenya Red Cross Celebrations in Dadaab Refugee Camp) (Tanzania Red Cross celebrations in Dar es Salaam) FUNDING IFRC is currently managing the following international appeals: EMERGENCY APPEAL CURRENT BUDGET (CHF) RECEIVED FUNDING % Kenya: Drought & Food Insecurity 30,438,354 9,957,530 33% Kenya: Population Movement 27,618,019 7,705,006 29% Ethiopia: Drought 25,408,085 10,460,170 41% Ethiopia: Population Movement 623,771 311,042 50% Somalia: Drought 4,158,791 3,839,315 92% Tanzania: Drought & Food Insecurity 1,352,126 540,568 40% Sudan: Complex Emergency 6,188,106 2,433, 779 39% Sudan: Population Movement 3,466,967 138,438 4% Sudan: Food Insecurity3 2,839,471 0 0% Regional Framework Surge Capacity 2,285,730 919,134 40% IFRC, on behalf of the implementing National Societies, would like to thank donors for their generous support and encourage any partners with further funding, cash pledges and funding enquiries to contact Douglas Masika on [email protected] +254 (0) 720 461 226 3 Just released International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies 5 I OPERATIONAL UPDATE/ East Africa / 9 May 2012 RED CROSS/RED CRESCENT ACTIVITY UPDATE 1. SUDANESE RED CRESCENT RESPONSE Heightened cross border conflict between Sudan and South Sudan has left thousands of displaced people around Heiglig and Talodi areas.
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