FOCUS ON ETHIOPIA PAGE 1 They are currently sheltering in Tole, in Wading area, HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS ISSUE: outside Tiergol, which is a large grazing land. In Itang woreda, displaced Anuak are now returning. The majority of • REGIONAL OVERVIEW returnees to Itang are male, as women and children still • NEWS – FLOOD RISK ALERT – ACUTE WATERY DIARRHOEA UPDATE remain in displaced areas due to the existence of schools. • UPCOMING & ONGOING MEETINGS A community-driven peace dialogue between the Lou and Focus on Ethiopia is produced by UN Office for the Jikany Nuer communities took place in Akobo County, Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in South Sudan, between 21-23 June. The dialogue facilitated collaboration with other UN agencies and partner NGOs. by PACT Sudan and UN-OCHA PCI, is intended to be Focus on Ethiopia provides a monthly overview of ongoing, and aims to establish long-term solutions to humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, as well as tensions between the two Nuer factions. The communities focusing on particular issues of interest. Send comments, agreed to honour their history of intermarriage and peaceful suggestions and contributions to [email protected] coexistence by living together in Akobo woreda until the end of the next harvest season. Once the Lou have been able to harvest their crops and gather shelter materials, REGIONAL OVERVIEW they will return back to Akobo Sudan. This community position has been endorsed by the Gambella Regional GAMBELLA Government. Ongoing movement of those displaced by previous conflicts continues to cause humanitarian concern in the region. Both communities are in need of food and non-food humanitarian assistance. The HRF Review Board has Reports indicate that as many as 11,400 Jikany Nuer with recommended project proposals by IOM and ZOA for large numbers of cattle have now reached Akobo woreda. approval. The projects focus on the most urgent humanitarian requirements, including distribution of seed A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs FOCUS ON ETHIOPIA PAGE 2 and NFIs such as provision of plastic sheets and hand West Hararghe zones. Bale, East and West Haraghe tools for shelter construction, and water and sanitation zones are also reporting increased cases of malnutrition interventions. NFI distribution will take place using existing aggravated by delays in PSNP and EOS transfers. Coping UNICEF and DPPA stocks, which will be replenished by mechanisms, such as distress migrations and increased HRF funds. The IOM project will be implemented in Lare, availability of firewood at markets, were observed in most Jor, Wantua, and Jikaw woredas and will target 21,000 woredas. people, while ZOA will work in Akobo and Itang woredas and serve 13,700 people. Project implementation will begin immediately and continue for four months. In addition, distribution of the one-month relief food ration allocated by the Federal Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency (DPPA) to flood victims and former IDP’s is ongoing. WFP is currently in discussion with DPPA to advocate for the provision of a 3-month food aid package for returnees, based on regional requests. EOS screening dates are yet to be determined. Heavy rainfall and storms were reported in Godere woreda during the month, causing substantial damage to maize, coffee, chat, mango, banana, sugarcane and avocado crops in four kebeles. The continuation of the rains is also likely to The fifth round of EOS screening has been finalized in all lead to flooding in Gambella’s traditionally flood-prone areas. zones. In addition, targeted supplementary food has been allocated for five zones including East Hararghe, West Ongoing rains could also amplify cases of malaria, AWD Hararghe, Arsi, Bale and North Shoa zones. and other water borne diseases. Reports of an increase in malaria cases have already been received from the Based on the DPPA-led verification assessment Regional Disaster Prevention and Food Security Bureau recommendations, DPPA has dispatched 2,024 tonnes of (DPFSB). In addition, there are unconfirmed reports of 250 relief food commodities for 112,443 beneficiaries in Agarfa AWD cases with 16 deaths from the border between and Gasarena woredas of Bale zone; Chinaksen woreda of Gambella and SNNPR. UNICEF is currently working with East Hararghe zone; Ginde Beret, Adda Berga and Meta Robi woredas of West Shewa; and Jarsi woreda of West the Regional Water Bureau on a water treatment action Wellega zones. DPPA’s allocation is for one month. Some plan to prevent further spread of the disease. woredas are concerned that the need for food relief exceeds the allocation. In addition, World Vision, using No outbreaks of livestock diseases have been reported so funding from the European Union, commenced emergency far. However DPFSB has reported that a shortage of food aid distribution to 9,200 beneficiaries in Gedeb Assasa veterinary medicine may allow endemic diseases to and Sude woredas of Arsi zone. develop into an epidemic. Malnutrition was observed in East and West Hararghe Livestock productivity has decreased in the region zones. GOAL with Oromiya DPPB and the Regional ENCU primarily due to ongoing movement of returnees with their conducted a rapid nutritional survey in Dara Lebo woreda, cattle and shoats in the west of the region. Pasture and West Hararghe zone from 25 June. The assessment was water availability along transit routes is limited and there is requested by the Woreda Health Bureau due to concerns no access to veterinary services. The price of shoats has from findings of the EOS screening in Mid-May and general decreased as market supply has increased. Cattle are now deterioration in the food security situation. Preliminary being sold across the border in Sudan, which increases results should be available by mid-July. price levels in Gambella Region. Markets also show a decrease in cereals availability and an increase in the Seven out of the affected nine zones in the region continue price level. to report AWD cases. Although the disease is contained in West Arsi and Jima Zones, three woredas are newly In addition, the Gambella DPFSB has requested UN affected - Sire and Jaju woredas in Arsi zone and Sinana support for an institutional capacity building project to woreda in Bale zone. Most of the cases during the month enable a more effectively coordinated humanitarian were reported from Boset woreda in East Shoa, Bule hora response during emergencies in the region. and Abaya woredas in Borena zone and Babile, Aromaya and Fedis woredas in East Harerge. WHO has funded the OROMIYA REGION relocation of health workers from SNNPR and other parts of The food security situation has continued to deteriorate Oromiya to help contain cases in the worst affected areas. with increased reports of malnutrition. AWD cases Training on case management, surveillance and reporting increased with three new woredas affected. for health workers is also ongoing. At zonal level, coordination committees chaired by the Zonal Health WFP reports continued to cite the deterioration of food Bureaus have been established. security in Bale, West Shewa, West Wellega, East and A monthly focus on humanitarian trends and activities in Ethiopia, produced by UN OCHA in collaboration with other UN agencies & NGOs FOCUS ON ETHIOPIA PAGE 3 In Southern Oromiya, clashes between the Guji and reporting cases. During the month, WHO provided Burji reportedly killed five people in Borena zone during AWD drugs and medical supplies worth approximately USD the month. In Moyale, tensions in the wake of the housing 21 thousand in addition to approximately USD 14 thousand and population census between Borena and Somali for health staff training and relocation to the worst affected communities have now been averted. Elders from both areas. communities have agreed to act as observers, allowing the census to continue. Following reports of the deteriorating food security situation, Save the Children UK conducted a standard AFAR nutritional survey in Chifra woreda, zone 1. Their findings The food security situation in Afar Region is of great indicate that the malnutrition status in the woreda is serious concern, with increased reports of malnutrition and AWD with 11.1 percent Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM). Low outbreaks. prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), however, was also estimated by the survey. After reviewing the Failure of sugum rains and delay in safety net resources anthropometric results and the presence of various have contributed to the deteriorating food security situation aggravating factors, ENCU reported that the SAM could in most of the central and western parts of the region. have been underestimated. Aggravating factors include More than 50 percent of the livestock in Awra, Uwa, lack of pasture and water availability for human and Chifra, Aba’ala, Barehale and western Mille woredas have livestock consumption, unusual livestock migration, migrated to Amhara and Tigray regions. Moreover, APDA, absence of milk production for children, low EPI and in its June update, reports that pastoralists are selling their Vitamin A supplementation, and high school dropout rates. livestock to rent trucks for transporting the remaining cattle Considering all these factors, ENCU recommends the to Cheffa Valley. immediate establishment of a Therapeutic Feeding Programme in Stabilization Centers and an Outpatient Therapeutic Programme. In addition, the survey recommends timely safety net resource allocation and distribution. As part of the targeted supplementary feeding project, WFP dispatched food for 40,300 beneficiaries from the fourth round of EOS screening. Distribution to the beneficiaries has already started. Due to the poor physical condition of livestock, the price of livestock, particularly cattle, has declined. On the other hand crop prices have increased in different markets during the month. SOMALI Security continues to pose challenges to humanitarian A recent WFP update reports that, although the dry hagai intervention in Somali Region.