UN OCHA - Ethiopia: Humanitarian News 4 Feb 2005

IDPS . . .
A DPPC/USAID/UN mission to assess the region's request for emergency food assistance estimates more than 16,600 IDPs in and around Doba woreda. Due to the urgency of the situation, a request for immediate assistance has been sent from the field to the federal DPPC. Immediate assistance is requested in the form of shelter for 2,770 households, clothing and utensils for 2,874 households, full rations for 16,615 people and supplementary food for 5,815 people. This is additional to the 2,100 IDPs who moved to a temporary camp in Mieso in late 2004 and does not include the IDPs reported in Goro Gutu woreda, East Hararghe.

AFAR Region . . .

Early this week interested NGOs, donors, and UN agencies attended an emergency coordination meeting in Addis Ababa to discuss main priorities. There was a consensus that emergency needs exist in excess of those covered in the Humanitarian Appeal and that immediate response is essential, and that agencies are prepared to mobilise the necessary staff and logistics for a re-assessment to follow up the November assessment. It was also agreed that a massive region-wide response called for in the regional government's Emergency Plan is not appropriate and that more targeted interventions are needed immediately. OCHA has prepared a summary record of the meeting and will forward it to the DPPC early next week. WFP/DPPC food was dispatched for more than 400,000 people in Afar from January, but the region believes that the beneficiary number should increase to 560,000. Recent assessments, reports and maps on Afar Region by government, UN and NGOs are available at www.ocha-eth.org

Critical Situation . . .

The survey indicated a critical situation with high malnutrition and mortality rates. The situation is aggravated by a lack of water, sanitation problems and no health services. In recent weeks WFP/DPPC has provided general rations of cereals, pulses and oil intended for Gashamo wordea, as well as supplementary rations of fortified blended food. UNICEF seeks additional support for targeted nutritional activities. UNICEF will assess the water situation and consider interventions with local NGOs. For the last two months, the bureau of health and UNICEF has been conducting an emergency mobile health service in 12 woredas including Gashamo but this project will stop on 8 February.

IDPS . . .

There are more than 5,200 people living in two IDP camps in Hartishek as well as another 1400 living in the town itself. Early last year UNHCR repatriated refugees living it its refugee camp in Hartishek and since then the situation has deteriorated for the IDPs with little access to water or health services. The recent DPPB/UN/NGO assessment on the humanitarian situation of the IDPs recommended urgent water, sanitation and health interventions. UNICEF plans to start nutritional activities shortly. In regards to food, there is no provision of food stocks from February onwards as the food distribution by Ogaden Welfare and Development Association (OWDA) ended in January. OCHA will be visiting Hartishek next week.

Food and Non Food . . .

Due to current resource availability, the humanitarian community in Ethiopia will only be able to cover these needs for the month of February, while requirements for the month of March will remain largely uncovered unless new contributions are received. So far only 17 percent of the cereal needs for the month of March is secured, and a full break in the cereal pipeline will occur in April. Though the supply of other food commodities is adequate for the coming two months, supply of pulses and blended food will reduce by the month of April, and run out altogether by the month of May. Non-food contributions towards the US$112 million requested in the Appeal are also urgently needed to cover emergency health, water and sanitation, and agriculture needs. Concern remains over the delayed Safety Nets Programme which is yet to start in the four targeted regions of the country covering approximately 4 million people.

Oxen Restocking . . .

In response, FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Oromiya Agriculture and Rural Development Bureau implemented a restocking project. More than 280 locally purchased ploughing oxen were distributed to 230 needy farmers in Menisibu and Laloasbi woredas of West Wellega. The implementation partners recently conducted an evaluation of the project and found it to be a success, welcomed by the farming community and local officials.